NEW YORK — Negative stereotypes and prejudices have been a constant source of friction and misunderstanding between Muslims and Jews. Can a level of understanding be reached between them that would make peaceful relations possible? I believe so. An almost forgotten episode during World War II could bring light to this issue.
During World War II, as Jews were being persecuted by the Nazis, they found refuge in northern Albania. More than 2,000 Jews were protected by the locals, who risked their lives. Although the Germans demanded that the Albanians provide them with lists of names of Jews in the country, the Albanians did not comply and instead sheltered them from the Nazis. According to the International School for Holocaust Studies, the Albanians didn't turn over a single Jew to the Germans.
This episode was again brought to light by Norman H. Gershman, an American photographer, who has included photos of those Albanians' descendants living in the country, in a book called "BESA: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II." According to Gershman, only two countries in Europe refused to cooperate with the Nazis: Denmark and Albania.
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