Israel Honors The Chinese for Their Role in Saving Jews
Another of my posts about Jews in odd places.
The Chinese had a strong role in saving Jews during the Holocaust. Now, Yad Vashem (the Holocaust memorial in Israel) hosted its first-ever seminar for Chinese Holocaust scholars to honor them for their humanity and bravery. It’s a history that both the Chinese and the Jews are not too familiar, but are beginning to learn more about.
The initiative to hold the seminar in Israel came from Prof. Glenn Timmermans, an associate professor of literature at the University of Macau. “In my years in China, I understood that Chinese students know nothing about the Holocaust,” he said. “How can one understand the 20th century without knowing about the Holocaust?”
On one of his visits to Israel, Timmermans convinced Yad Vashem authorities to include a seminar for Chinese teachers among the dozens of workshops it holds annually for international guests. Funding ultimately came from Sheldon Adelson, the American casino tycoon who also has considerable investments in China.