A brief commentary about the late Irena Opdyke (of blessed memory)

[zachor_ve_kavod]

I heard about this woman on the Dennis Prager show (http://townhall.com/talkradio/show.aspx?radioshowid=3)and her story moved me.  I thought I would share it with you.  My point is that we should take some time to reflect upon the fact that there were some Catholics during the holocaust whose heroism was immeasurable.  This is not to defend the Vatican during the 1940s or Pius XII, it is to remind that there were some individuals who risked everything (and I mean everything) to save Jews.  And many were motivated by their Catholic faith, as Irena Opdyke was.

Here is an excerpt from the Jewish virtual library:

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Irene Opdyke was born in Poland to a Catholic family. She joined the Polish underground and hid in forests until a group of Russian soldiers accosted her and the other resistance fighters. The Russians beat and raped her and sent her to a hospital aiding Russian soldiers.

Irene desperately wanted to find her family and fled the hospital only to be captured in church by the Germans. She was taken to a munitions plant and she collapsed from the heavy labor. As a young attractive girl with Aryan features, she caught the eye of an SS officer, Eduard Rugemer, who immediately helped her find an easier position in a mess hall. At the mess hall Irene became an eyewitness of the terrible conditions of the Jews in the ghetto. At one point she saw a baby flung into the air and shot as though it were hunting game.

She left that plant with Rugemer to the Ukraine and officially became his housekeeper. She also supervised laundry duties whose workforce consisted of all Jews. After learning of the definite plans to kill all twelve Jews, Irene resolved to hide them in Rugemer's villa. She fed and clothed them until Rugemer accidentally found them one day. Irene knew that she had to do something or he would call the Gestapo. She cried and begged and pleaded, and Rugemer promised that he would not harm the twelve Jews on the condition that she would become his mistress.

She later married William Opdyke, who was working for the United Nations in displaced persons cams after the war. In 1949 she immigrated to the U.S. and lived in Southern California.

Irene remained silent about her activities during the war until later in life. She later started speaking to groups about her experience during the war, and published a book entitled Into My Hands in 1999. In 1982 she was recognized by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Person.

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[muman613]

Yes, this woman is a very good example of a righteous gentile who would sacrifice her life to save Jews from destruction by the cruel Nazi regime. There are many righteous gentiles in the world and as we are taught, they all have a place in the world to come. I am awed by the kindness of strangers who lend their hand to people in need. This is the Jewish idea of Tzedaka, or righteousness, which also means Charity. We give Tzedekka to people in need because it is what Hashem needs us to do. I think all humanity knows what is morally right and wrong because Moshe brought down the definition which the Jews accepted but all nations were given the Torah, only the Jews accepted all the commands.

It is also very essential for Jews to give to non-Jewish causes from time to time. We must appreciate the kindness we get from the righteous of the nations.

[ag337]

Muman,

You are right there are people who understand the basic theories of kindness, humanity, humility, tolerance, and morality in regards to the big picture of what is important in life.

These are righteous individuals, who should be recognized as such.

Irena should be recognized as such and respected for what she has done.