On November 28, a ceremony took place at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw to honor Poles who risked their lives during the Holocaust. Deputy Chief of Mission Eric Green and Cultural Attaché Dan Hastings were present at this event where "The Righteous Among The Nations" medals were awarded posthumously. The ceremony was organized by the POLIN Museum and the Embassy of Israel, with sponsorship from Israel's Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center.
Dariusz Stola, director of POLIN, gave welcoming remarks before Anna Azaria, Ambassador of Israel to Poland, presented medals to descendants or relatives of those who had saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust. Many recipients had rescued strangers at great personal risk. Descendants or relatives of Jewish survivors from around the world attended and praised these acts of heroism. Notably, three families from the United States were among those honoring their ancestors' saviors.
"The Righteous Among the Nations" are recognized for risking their lives during World War II to save Jews from Nazi extermination. Inscribed on each medal is a verse from the Talmud: "Whoever saves one life saves the entire world." These awards are not frequently conferred as most honorees have passed away or been previously recognized since 1963 when Yad Vashem initiated them. Poland has seen the highest number of recipients; out of 26,973 awards globally, 6,863 have been given to Polish citizens.
A story highlighted by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum involves Boleslaw Paciorek and his wife who protected Frederick Weinstein during this time. Their descendants now reside in the United States.