BESA...When Muslims Saved Jews

August 14, 2008

Author: Dina Rabie

Source: Islam Online

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1218650239931&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout

Norman Gershman has become accustomed to the reactions from people who see his photos and read his stories about Muslims sheltering Jews and saving their lives during the Holocaust.

"I had people say 'Muslims save Jews! How is that?'" the American Jewish fine art photographer told IslamOnline.net in a telephone interview.

Gershman has been engaged in a 5-year project that honors stories of Albanian Muslims' heroism in saving thousands of Jews, who either lived in Albania or sought refugee there, during World War II.

The "BESA... a code of honor" project began when he was seeking out photographs of righteous, non-Jews who helped Jews during the Holocaust, in New York.

Gershman was amazed to find among them Muslim names that he was told belongs to Albanians.