WPVI
It was an incredibly moving and emotional meeting that brought two people from two parts of the world together, Fairmount, PA for a historic moment.
The son of a Holocaust survivor and the son of the man who helped rescue his father, and 6,000 Jewish people, met on Friday for the very first time.
Nobuki Sugihara is the son of a Japanese Diplomat named Chiune Sugihara.
During the Holocaust, he helped save thousands of lives in Lithuania.
One of them was the father of Philadelphia Rabbi, Yossy Goldman.
The historic meeting happened at Shofuso, the Japanese House and Gardens, with a tea ceremony symbolizing friendship.
Sugihara says his father was very humble and private, and never wanted accolades.
But Rabbi Goldman said saving lives, like his father’s, so selflessly, is nothing short of heroism.
“I’ve been looking forward for many years now to be able to say thank you in person to this gentleman for what his father did. I would not be here. My children, my grandchildren would not be here. My father was the one sole survivor of his entire family from Poland,” said Goldman.
Sugihara gets overwhelmed meeting the children and the grandchildren of the survivors knowing they are here because his father helped saved their lives. In the case of the Goldman family, there are now more than 100 descendants.
Sugihara helped save 6,000 people fleeing by issuing them transit visas.
this is such a beautiful Kiddush Hasehem. makes one appreciate and thank those who saves so many Yidden plus people of all walks of life. I have known Rabbi Goldman for more that 55 years and am so happy he had the opportunity to pay homage to this super nice family.
Rabbi Yossi has always been and is a class act. Ad 120 +
would love to see more of these type of posts. they are awesome
Arke Mikowitz
Indeed there is. In a time of total destruction , where this man could have just lived his life and not thought twice about Jewish murder, he rose up at the risk of his own life and saved tens of thousands. GD will surely bless him forever .