We ferried out to Ellis Island. What a pleasure it is to be out on the water of the harbor on a cool, clear day. Although Harbor Seals have been spotted as far north as the 79th Street Boat Basin  this season, we did not spot any in the water that Sunday but enjoyed seeing the city, The Statue  of Liberty, and the soaring gulls and many Brandts.

Ellis Island opened a new, temporary exhibit on March 30, 2008, called “Visas for Life” which documents in photos, the extraordinary efforts of many diplomats during the Holocaust to use the power of their offices to issue visas for Jews fleeing Nazi control. They did this against the orders of their superiors and risked a high personal price for their actions. They saved many hundreds of thousands people from being murdered by their moral and courageous action. It is a very worthwhile exhibit. 

I attended as a representative of Remember the Women Institute and serve on the Advisory Board.

There is a wonderful portrait of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese Consul to Lithuania and his wife, who saved more than 10000 Jews.

Many current diplomats and the families of rescuers, and a few survivors attended the opening event and their stories where told, and awards of thanks and recognition were made.

The Italian diplomat spoke so well when he said that “diplomats are not generally known for being courageous or brave but of hoping for a comfortable assignment”. Several family members of a Papal Nuncio who helped rescue many Jews travelled from Italy to accept an award in his honor and spoke with great warmth and emotion.  The niece of Raoul Wallenberg attended. The Swiss diplomat spoke so refreshingly frankly about what Switzerland had done wrong as well as right during the Nazi period. Seated next to us where diplomats from Germany. We spoke personally with Bill Bingham, pictured above, Hiram Bingham IV’s son, about the role of his father in issuing American visas and saving many people, and how this limited his father’s diplomatic career.

It was an event filled with good feeling, and extremely moving stories of how people can make an extraordinary difference by acting in good conscience. An event which truly affirmed the power of good in people.

Afterwards, the honorees, families, attendees and diplomats, waited on line with the general  public and ordered their lunch at the fast food cafeteria in the museum.

Welcome to modern America.