(NAME-MCE) The Muslim Albanian community’s role in saving Jews during the Holocaust.

[Bill Howe]

The Muslim Albanian community's role in saving Jews during the Holocaust.

At an ADL In Concert Against Hate last Monday, one of the honorees, Bujar
Veselaj (living in Boston), was the son of a "Righteous Among the Nations"
in Albania.  He and his family had to flee the country after Muslim
extremists threatened him for recognizing the contributions of his father in
the Albanian media.

Below is a description of Bujar Veselaj's family, as well as an article link
about an exhibit at Yad Vashem on the topic.


Bujar Veselaj
Bujar Veselaj's father, Refik, was an Albania Muslim, who has been
recognized as one of the "Righteous Among the Nations."  In 2005, as part of
the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the fall of the Nazis, Bujar
was interviewed on television about his father's efforts to save Jews during
the Holocaust.  Within days, Islamic fundamentalists launched a campaign to
terrorize Bujar and his family, warning him that "Muslim Albania did not
have a place for the well wishers of Jews" and threatening to kill him, his
family and anyone who helped them. After six months of terror, Bujar and his
family flew to the United States, where they sought political asylum. Less
than one month ago, Bujar and his family were granted asylum. Bujar
Veselaj's experiences at the hands of Muslim extremists have only
intensified his veneration for his father's memory and his appreciation of
what he did to save Jews from the Nazis. Bujar, his wife, two children, and
his mother, will be joining us for the Concert.

 Yad Vashem to Open Muslim Exhibit - Etgar Lefkovits (Jerusalem Post)
    Yad Vashem will inaugurate an exhibition Thursday on "Muslim Albanians
Who Rescued Jews During the Holocaust."   When the Germans occupied Albania
in 1943, the Albanian population refused to comply with the Nazis' orders to
turn over lists of Jews residing in the country.   Nearly all the Jews
living within Albanian borders during the German occupation were saved.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1192380676042&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


-- 
Bill Howe
http://www.billhowe.org
Travel to China - June 1-14, 2008 - Teachers & Health Care Professionals -
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