About the Program

The term “Righteous Among the Nations” (Chasidei Umot HaOlam) was taken from Jewish tradition – from the literature of the Sages – where it was used to describe non-Jews who came to the aid of the Jewish people in times of need, or non-Jews who respect the basic tenets set down in the Bible – including the prohibition of bloodshed. The Yad Vashem law took the existing term and added new meaning to it.  The law went on to characterize the Righteous Among the Nations as those who not only saved Jews, but risked their lives in doing so. This was to become the basic...

The Commission consists of volunteers. Most of them are Holocaust survivors who, though haunted by their personal suffering during the Holocaust, strongly believe in the importance of bringing to light the stories of humanism and rescue. Each of them is an expert in the history of the Holocaust in a certain region of Europe. They receive cases for evaluation and present their recommendations to the Commission, which then goes on to discuss each case. All the decisions are reviewed by the Commission's chairman before they become final.

Persons recognized as a "Righteous Among the Nations" are awarded a specially minted medal bearing their name, a certificate of honor, and the privilege of their names being added to the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. The awards are presented to the rescuers or their next of kin in Israel or in their countries of residence through the good offices of Israel's diplomatic representatives. These ceremonies are attended by local government representatives and are given wide media coverage.The Yad Vashem Law authorizes Yad Vashem "to confer...

“We very much regret that we did not take steps until now to pay tribute to this good, simple and noble woman. Knowing that acting humanely in those times is being rewarded by the State of Israel will be a satisfaction and a lesson to us, as citizens of this country.”Zvi Yanai and Yehudit Eldar to Yad Vashem when they requested to honor Ida Brunelli as Righteous Among the NationsSince 1962, thousands of requests from all over the world, in all European languages as well as Hebrew and Yiddish, have arrived at Yad Vashem. Hundreds of requests are received every year. As the Second World...