Moral Courage: Irena Sendlerowa, Who Saved Jewish Children in Poland

Wherever radical evil openly flourishes, that’s where miracles also abound. A hero is someone who risks her own life in order to save another person’s life. A hero may know that what she is doing is dangerous, that she herself might be caught and punished, she might be very afraid-but her fear does not stop her. Such actions go beyond speaking out, beyond documenting the atrocities. It is important to teach our children that high-risk courage, self-sacrifice, morality, and goodness do exist. The world may not always do so.

Indeed, for nearly fifty years, the world forgot about the heroic Irena Sendler. She was only discovered by four Uniontown, Kansas high school students in 1999. Their research, which they turned into a play, finally brought her story to world attention. When the students visited Sendler in 2001, she was already in her nineties, in poor health, and living in poverty.

Of course, in 1965, Israel had already given Sendler the title of “Righteous Among the Nations.” In 1983, she had visited Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem to receive this award in person. In 1991, Israel also made her an honorary citizen. However, this was not enough to launch Sendler’s reputation around the world. Perhaps saving Jews was not viewed as morally courageous to anyone but Jews…Continue reading on Chesler Chronicles >>