Calgary, January 27: The Canadian Jewish Federation hosted on Friday, January 27, a photographic exhibition that sheds the light on heroism of Muslims who risked their lives to rescue Jews from the Nazi brutality during the Holocaust.
“Exhibits like this one help to showcase the values we celebrate in this country and the importance of respect for fundamental freedoms, regardless of one’s background or religion,” Jason Kenney, Canadian Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, said in a press release on Thursday.
The “BESA: A Code of Honor” exhibit, hosted by the Calgary Jewish Federation, pays tribute to 17 of the more than 60 Muslim Albanians who helped saving the Jews during the Holocaust.
It tells the moving story of how the Besa, a code of honor in Albanian culture, guided their courageous actions.
Besa is an Albanian interpretation of the holy Qur’an, and is generally translated as “faith” or sometimes “to keep the promise.”
Today’s exhibition, which runs from January 27 to February 5, also offers a glimpse into the lives of a people whose commitment to their faith requires them to act unselfishly even under the most dire circumstances.
The exhibit is based on the work of American photographer Norman H. Gershman and his quest to tell this remarkable story.
His exhibition features black and white photographs of Albanians holding family photos and awards honoring their heroism.
Thanks to the Albania-Israel Friendship Association Gershman was able to trace many Albanian Muslims who rescued Jews from the Nazi.
He spent four years in Albania and met families of the heroes, photographed them and learnt about moving rescue operations.
Before World War II, there were only 200 Jews in Muslim-majority Albania, which had a total population of 800,000.
After the war, there were many more Jews after Jewish refugees from some half dozen European countries fled the Nazi persecution and sought shelter in Albania, according to Israeli officials.
Gershman, a Jew, said Albanian King Zog, who ruled the country from 1928 to 1939, personally saved the Weizmann family, who fled to Albania after 1938’s Nazi crackdown on Jews in Germany.
Israel has already honored 63 Albanians as “Righteous Among the Nations,” a title granted to non-Jews who helped Jews escape Nazi persecution.
Interfaith
BESA exhibition was funded in part by Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Inter-Action program to foster relations between the country’s Muslim and Jewish minorities.
“Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Inter-Action program aims to create opportunities for different cultural and faith communities to build bridges,” said Minister Kenney in the press release.
“The Calgary Jewish Federation is contributing to strengthening our society through education and awareness.
“This photographic exhibit will facilitate interaction and foster an increased understanding of the diverse communities of Calgary, particularly between the Muslim and Jewish communities.”
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Holocaust refers to “systematic state-sponsored killing of Jewish men, women, and children and others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II.”
The commonly used figure for the number of Jewish victims is six million.
But the figure has been questioned by many European historians and intellectuals, chiefly French author Roger Garaudy.
Muslims make around 2.8 percent of Canada’s 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the Roman Catholic country.
A recent report from the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life said that Muslims are expected to make up 6.6% of Canada’s total population in 2030.
A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian, and that they are more educated than the general population.