Besa: The Promise – Albania’s Untold Story of Sanctuary for Jewish Refugees in WWII

October 10, 2023
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
at UBC Robson Square (map)

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About the Event

This event will commemorate the Muslim Albanians who hosted Jewish people during World War II. The Albanian population, majority of whom were Muslim, refused to comply with their occupier’s orders to turn over lists of Jews residing within the country’s borders. The Albanians not only protected their Jewish citizens, but also provided sanctuary to Jewish refugees who had arrived in Albania. The event will showcase a screening of the film, Besa: The Promise, along with expert speakers from UBC and beyond.

Event Schedule

6:00 PM Doors open, light refreshments will be available

6:25 PM Welcoming remarks

6:30 PM Keynote speaker: Dr. Anna Kohen

6:40 PM Dr. Richard Menkis – UBC Department of History

6:45 PM Ms. Nina Krieger – Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre

6:50 PM Mr. Ardian Lagji – EAGLESLAND Cultural Society of BC

6:55 PM Film screening

8:25 PM Closing remarks

About the Film

Besa: The Promise showcases the untold story of the men and women of Albania – almost all of them Muslims – who faced down the Nazis armed only with their traditional honor code of besa and saved the lives of nearly two thousand Jews. This tale of heroism was nearly lost forever in the communist decades that followed World War II.

It’s a story that’s brought to light through the contemporary prism of two men joined together in a remarkable and unexpected quest. One is Norman H. Gershman, a renowned Jewish-American photographer who is determined to record the bravery and compassion of the Albanians. The other is Rexhep Hoxha, a shopkeeper from Tirana, Albania, who asks Norman to help him locate a Jewish family his Muslim parents sheltered during the war. This family, he tells Norman, entrusted his father with three Hebrew books, books that – under the ancient Albanian code of besa – must now be returned. The journey that unfolds is extraordinary.

With its thoroughly researched history and its profoundly emotional storytelling style, Besa: The Promise challenges some of the most fundamental assumptions about the presumed enmity between Islam and Judaism and eloquently reminds us of the power of good people to transform the way we view our world.

Speakers

Dr. Anna Kohen, DDS, born in Vlora, Albania, grew up in a Romaniote Jewish community saved by Albanian Muslims post-World War II. After facing communist hardships, her family went to Greece in 1966. She studied dentistry at the University of Athens Dental School and moved to the U.S. in 1971, earning a DDS from New York University in 1976. She later taught at NYU Dental School. Her contributions include bringing Jewish-Albanian relatives to the U.S. in 1990, assisting their integration. She’s an Honorary Member of the Albanian Israeli Society and received the Special Civil Merits medal from the Albanian President Moisiu for her aid during the Kosovar humanitarian crisis. Dr. Kohen’s nonprofit work ranges from aiding underprivileged children to providing free mammograms and educating Albanian schoolchildren on oral hygiene. She served as President of the Albanian American Women’s Organization, received numerous awards, and is an Honorary Member of the Albanian Medical Society. Dr. Kohen, married with two children and three grandchildren, has left an indelible mark on both the Albanian and Jewish communities.

Richard Menkis is Associate Professor of Jewish History at the University of British Columbia. He has taught Holocaust-related courses at UBC for over three decades. His publications include More than Just Games: Canada and the 1936 Olympics, co-authored with Harold Troper. Recently, he has published articles on the encounters of Canadian soldiers and journalists with survivors and evidence of the Holocaust, and is continuing with that research. Deeply committed to public history, he has  co-researched and co-written several museum exhibitions for the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, and has consulted on others, including the Holocaust gallery at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. In 2018 he was honoured with the Louis Rosenberg Canadian Jewish Studies Distinguished Service Award and in  2023 received the  Dean of Arts Award, recognizing those “whose contributions have proven to be transformative to the Faculty  of Arts.”

Nina Krieger is the Executive Director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. Nina has developed exhibitions, educational programs and pedagogical materials that challenge audiences to probe the complex historical, cultural, and ethical issues raised by the Holocaust. During her tenure as Executive Director, the VHEC has completed multi-year projects to support the preservation, access, and educational use of the Centre’s collections. She holds an Honours degree in history from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Research degree in Humanities & Cultural Studies from the London Consortium, a multi-disciplinary graduate program of the University of London, the Architectural Association, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Tate. 

Ardian Lagji has chaired the EaglesLand Cultural Society of BC since 2016. He joined the Albanian Society in 2006, serving as a Board Member and later as Treasurer. He holds a Bachelor of BA from the University of Tirana, where he studied from 1990 to 1995. Prior to moving to Canada in 1999, Ardian served as CFO and later as Chair of Art-Export Import in Albania. After settling in Vancouver, he pursued studies at BCIT for a Financial Management Diploma and became a Certified Professional Payroll Manager through the National Payroll Institute in Canada. Throughout his career, Ardian has held various positions, including Payroll and HR Manager, and worked as a Payroll Consultant for numerous BC businesses. In 2019, Mr. Ermal Muca, Albanian Ambassador to Canada, awarded Ardian a Certificate of Gratitude for his significant contributions in promoting Albanian national values and strengthening Canadian-Albanian friendship.

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