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Righteous gentiles
Overview\nRighteous gentiles or Righteous Among the Nations is a term originally used in Jewish tradition to deal with the concept of nonJews who were, nonetheless, good Godfearing people. By Jewish tradition, the large set of laws and precepts contained in the Torah, as well as the Mishnah, Gemara, and oral tradition, are only required of Jews, who are regarded as having inherited the obligation from their ancestors who volunteered for the duty. In contrast, nonJews merely have to follow a simple and relatively obvious, almost universally accepted set of Noahide Laws; for instance prohibiting murder, or the eating of a live animal.
More recently, the term has been used to describe nonJews who behaved heroically during WWII and the Holocaust (Shoah) in order to save Jews from the Nazis. Judaism teaches that "if a person destroys a life, it is as if he destroyed an entire world. If a person saves a life, it is as if he saved an entire world." (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, 37a. See also Judaism 101/Life and Death, The value of Life) Since 1963, a commission, headed by an Israeli Supreme Court justice has been charged with the duty of awarding the title "Righteous among the Nations." The commission is guided in its work by certain criteria and meticulously studies all pertinent documentation, including evidence by survivors and other eyewitnesses.
A person recognized as a "Righteous Among the Nations" is awarded a specially minted medal bearing his or her name, a certificate of honor, and the privilege of his or her name being added to those on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, the Israeli Holocaust Memorial. (The last is in lieu of a tree planting, which was discontinued for lack of space.) The awards are distributed to the rescuers or their next of kin in moving ceremonies in Israel or in their countries of residence through the good offices of Israel's diplomatic representatives. These ceremonies are attended by local government representatives and are given wide media coverage. The Yad Vashem Law authorizes Yad Vashem \n:"to confer honorary citizenship upon the Righteous Among the Nations, and if they have passed away, the commemorative citizenship of the State of Israel, in recognition of their actions."\nAnyone who has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations is entitled to apply to Yad Vashem for the certificate. If the Righteous Among the Nations is no longer alive, his or her next of kin are entitled to request that commemorative citizenship be conferred on the Righteous Among the Nations who has passed away. To date, 20,205 men and women, including family members who shared in the rescue of Jews, have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, representing over 8,000 authenticated rescue stories. Yad Vashem's policy is to pursue the program for as long as petitions for this title are received and are supported by solid evidence that meets the criteria. [[1]
- "A righteous gentile will receive a monthly cash benefit at the rate of the average wage. In addition, a convalescent grant of up to 8 days at the rate paid to civil servants, will be paid to a righteous gentile and his/her spouse. Health services, free of charge, under the National Health Insurance Law will also be provided to the righteous gentile." [[1]
- "The Righteous Among the Nations who experience economic difficulties - wherever they reside - are aided financially by the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, a New York-based philanthropic organization which was created for this purpose. The Anne Frank Fonds, based in Basle, Switzerland, looks after those in need of medication. The Righteous residing in Israel (some 35 people) automatically receive a generous state pension." [[1]
- "Israel is home for 57 surviving Khasiday Umot Olam / Righteous Gentiles who saved Jews and came to live here alone, or with their families, at the end of World War II. ATZUM is working to provide basic needs not met by the Israel social welfare (NII) package, including visits by Israeli "adoptive grandchildren", professional caretakers, and geriatric, dental, ophthalmic and auditory treatments and aids. We are working intensively with eleven Righteous Gentiles and have distributed $13,000 to them." [[1]
See also\n*List of people who helped Jews during the Holocaust
Count of Righteous Among the Nations per country of origin
External Links\n*Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem\n* Photo gallery on righteous gentiles during the Holocaust\n* Stories of Moral Courage\n* [2]\n* class="external">[1\n \n Bibliography
"The Path of the Righteous: Gentile Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust", Mordecai Paldiel, KTAV Publishing House, Inc in\nassociation with The Jewish Foundation for Christian Rescuers, 1993
"TO SAVE A LIFE: STORIES OF HOLOCAUST RESCUE", ISBN 0-252-02515-6, University of Illinois Press, $34.95.
"Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust: Genocide and Moral Obligation", Gushee, David P. ISBN 1557788219, $16.95\n:"David Gushee's wide-ranging research on the Holocaust rescuers redresses a serious omission in the literature in the area of Christian ethics. It is a response to the call of several Jewish scholars that Christians break their silence on rescuer interpretation"\n—Beverly W. Harrison, Union Theological Seminary
- "Despite decades of Holocaust studies and even mass media attention (e.g., Schindler's List), no full-length treatment of the Righteous Gentiles has appeared in and for Christian ethics. Who were these people? Why did they do what they did? What kind of Christianity was theirs, if any? How do we assess them, from a moral point of view? And what does it all mean for Christian ethics? Finally, with this book the lacuna has been filled, and David Gushee does it so very, very well."\n—Larry L. Rasmussen, Union Theological Seminary
- "Gushee incorporates new research on the Holocaust as well as the nuances of his evolved thinking; he still addresses his work in particular to those who identify themselves as Christians, but he now has a widened view of his audience so that his comments pertain to those of other religious paths. The subject is a quest to understand why more non-Jews did not assist the Jews against the Nazis, to understand those who did, and more broadly, to understand what it takes to be a rescuer."\n—Reference & Research Book News, February 2004
\nCategory:Holocaust\nCategory:People who helped Jews during the Holocaust\n |
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