Did any Arabs save Jews during the Holocaust? That’s the question author Robert Satloff had in mind when he set out to discover the lost, true stories of survival, courage and betrayal in Arab lands during World War II. The history of the Holocaust in Europe is well-documented, but the history of what happened to the Jewish people of North Africa has been mostly forgotten, even in the very towns and cities where it occurred. The truth is remarkable: not only did Jews in Arab lands suffer many of same elements of persecution as Jews in Europe—arrests, deportations, confiscations and forced labor—but there were also hopeful stories of “righteous” Arabs reaching out to protect them.
Editor’s Note: At 38:50 in the film, a photo is incorrectly identified as the wedding picture of Odette and Jacob Boukris, parents of Anny Boukris. The correct photo is displayed below.
Wedding photograph of Anny Boukris' parents. Courtesy of the late Anny Boukris