IN THE PRESENCE OF GOOD

"But there is a difference between passive goodness and active goodness, which is, in my opinion, the giving of one's time and energy in the alleviation of pain and suffering. It entails going out, finding and helping those in suffering and danger, and not merely in leading an exemplary life, in a purely passive way of doing no wrong." Nicholas Winton

Go here to read about the heroic actions of the humble Nicholas Winton and here

Watch here: BBC Programme 'That's Life"




Discussion:
In his study of rescuers, Ervin Staub states, "Goodness, like evil, often begins in small steps. Heroes evolve; they aren't born. Very often the rescuers make only a small commitment at the start-to hide someone for a day or two. But once they had taken that step, they begin to see themselves differently, as someone who helps. What starts as mere willingness becomes intense involvement."
What does Staub's insight suggest about rescuers?
Write a working definition of a hero?
Why do you think Winton is reluctant to have himself called a hero? What point is he trying to make?
Why do you think that in times of crisis, some people stand by, or actively help the perpetrators, while others get involved and try to make a positive difference? ( From Facing History, Facing Ourselves)

JAPANESE HOLOCAUST RESCUER

Watch the video clip below to discover the heroism of Sugihara.

RESCUERS:'Save One Life, Save the World"

'Save one life, save the world' is a line from the Talmud, the Jewish book of law. This applies to many of the upstanders who rescued Jews just before and during World War 2. Some of you may be inspired to research the rescuers mentioned in the trailer below. Again consider what traits do they posses that make them heroic?

Image shows Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat responsible for the rescue of thousands of Hungarian Jews. His fate remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of World war 2.He was 32 when he disappeared after being arrested in 1945 by Soviet occuying troops. Read more about him here at United States Holocaust Museum

RESCUERS: PORTRAITS OF COURAGE

Hero status is often achieved by making personal sacrifices, showing extreme selflessness, and great courage. Allison and Goethals (2011, 49) state, 'These individuals typically don't set out with the intention of being heroes. In fact the situations they find themselves in are usually unpleasant, requiring a difficult choice that has painful consequences. The choice however, is the correct one from a moral perspective'. In a survey of 75 college students Allison and Goethals noted eight heroic traits,'The Great Eight':

1.Smart: intelligent, smart, wise
2.Strong: strong, leader,dominating,courageous,gallant
3.Selfless:moral,honest,selfless,humble,altruistic
4.Caring:compassionate,empathetic,caring, kind
5.Charismatic: eloquent,charismatic,dedicated,passionate
6.Resilient: determined,persevering, resilient,accomplished,
7.Reliable:loyal,true,reliable
8.Inspiring: admirable,inspirational

Below are some of the rescuers people who helped Jews during the war. Would you consider these people heroic? Read about these individuals and think about the traits that these people display-all of the above?

Oskar Schindler:
Read about Oskar Schindler here:
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/schindler/
http://www.oskarschindler.com/thesitemap.htm
http://www.oskarschindler.dk/legacy/content1.html



Go to Flickers of Light at Yad Vashem to read about these people.
Dr. Adelaide Hautval
Jerzy Bielecki
Ludwig Worl
Dr. Ella Lingens
Jerzy Pozimiski

Go to this link at Yad Vashem to read about Muslims who helped to rescue Jews.

Read here for information about the people of Le Chambon

Read about Varian Fry the American journalist

The Americans Marthe and Waitstill