AJC, France Celebrate Righteous Gentiles Art Exhibit
March 4, 2007 - New York - A French art exhibit that will highlight French who saved Jews during the Holocaust was celebrated at a dinner hosted by the French Consulate General in New York. Keynote speakers were French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Congresswoman Nita Lowey of New York, and American Jewish Committee Executive Director David A. Harris.
Below is an article on the event from Agence France Presse:
U.S.exhibit to highlight heroism of French 'Righteous Among the Nations' By Catherine Hours
NEW YORK (AFP)--- A historic exhibit showcasing the heroism of non-Jews, who helped save Jewish lives during WWII, will soon open across the United States, the American Jewish Committee and French culture minister announced late Saturday.
The exhibit will feature a film by Agnes Varda detailing acts of heroism displayed by "les Justes," as these people are known, that was released in France in January.
The film was shown to representatives of the U.S. Jewish community Saturday by prominent Frenchmen, including Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger and lawyer Serge Klarsfeld.
"We intend to have an American audience see it as well because it sends a powerful message, with both historical significance and contemporary applications," said David Harris, executive director American Jewish Committee.
"People need to know not only about evil in the world, but also about humanity and goodness," he continued.
"We need examples of courage, and this exhibit provides nearly 3,000 examples of courage and the AJC is honored to help bring this exhibit to a large audience here in the United States.
Harris added that "our young people have very few examples of true courage" today.
French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said the exhibit will help "present a fair and complete image" of France.
"World War II was marked by barbarism, collaboration and crimes against humanity," he told AFP. "But at the same time, it saw examples of resistance and conscience displayed by individual men and women."
According to the minister, the public exhibit was likely to debut at the end of the year in Washington and other US cities.
The initiative comes as France is often accused of being a hotbed of resurgent anti-Semitism in Europe.
"I have recently received in Paris representatives of the American Jewish community, and I told them openly that a resurgence of anti-Semitism exists and we are monitoring it," said Donnedieu de Vabres.
"But I don?t want this odious phenomenon to give a false impression of our country."
Meanwhile, Harris pointed out that "anti-Semitism today is a global problem, it is not unique to one country, and it is growing."
But he added: "Les Justes are a wonderful response to anti-Semitism."
"We are reminded that in each generation we must be on our guard, and in each generation we desperately need les Justes," the AJC director said.
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 891-6768 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org