The World Organization for the Youth, together with the Sefarad-Israel Center, made an online tribute to Angel Sanz Briz, a Spanish diplomat who reportedly saved 5,200 Jews from Nazi persecution in Hungary.
The event took place on the occassion of the 40th anniversary of his death, with the support of DAIA and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain (FCJE). The Ambassador of Spain in Argentina,Francisco Javier Sandomingo Núñez ; Angela, Sanz Briz’s daughter; Eva Bohrer, suvivor saved by “The angel of Budapest” ; David Hatchwell, director of the Hispanic-Jewish Foundation and Carmen Gómez Gómez, tour guide and historian, were also present in the event.
Chief Rabbi Isaac Sacca, President of Menora, was the host of the event, which was broadcast on the Rabbi’s Facebook page and was conducted by Ariel Berim, director of Menora Youth.
“I am very grateful to Angel for having shown that diplomats can do important things, we can save lives and make pains and miseries less terrible” , said the Spanish Ambassador Sandomingo Núñez.
Miguel de Lucas, President of the Sefarad-Israel Center, was honored to interviewed Angela and Mrs Bohrer, who moved all the public with her story about how she was saved with the help of the Sanz Briz family, to whom she is eternally grateful.
Meanwhile, the President of DAIA, Jorge Knoblovits, son of a Hungarian father who survived the Shoa, confessed his emotion for having the opportunity to share a meeting with Angela, daughter of who might have been his father’s saviour.
Rabbi Sacca pointed out the importance of how remembrance can change the history of humankind. “History can take away our faith in man when we see what he is capable of doing. But then we see people like Angel Sanz Briz, a man who justified his existence and ponders the human condition to this day”, said the President of Menora.
In addition, the Rabbi expressed that saving Jews was an eventuality. In his opinion, Sanz Briz always wanted to do the right thing, save lives, seek the good of others, whoever they were. ” In a world of intrigues, corruption and in the middle of a pandemic, we need role models to follow. Honoring him and going through his story is the best way to educate for the good”, he added.
Righteous Among the Nations, meaning a non-Jewish person who risked their life to save Jews during the Holocaust. Till today about 27 thousand people were recognized with that title by the Yad Vashem Museum of Jerusalem.
