Jeannie Opdyke Smith shares her mother’s incredible journey of courage and resilience. A true story of how one Polish Catholic teenager saved over a dozen Jews during the Holocaust. Irene’s story became a Broadway play in the nationally acclaimed production “Irena’s Vow” and her memoir, “In My Hands” is used in classrooms across the country.
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The Israeli Holocaust Commission named Irene one of the Righteous Among the Nations. She was presented with the Israel Medal of Honor at Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.
Jeannie is a recipient of the 2015 Civil Rights award given by the Anti-Defamation League. She resides in Washington state with her husband, Gary, and is the mother of three, a foster parent, a grandmother of five, and surrogate mother to dozens more.
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Jeannie travels sharing her mother’s story with groups across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The story she shares speaks to the horrors and hate of the Holocaust—but also brings a message of faith, love, and hope, that good can triumph over evil. It proclaims the conviction that one by one, we can say no to hatred, persecution, and prejudice.
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More: The Holocaust Center virtual Lunch-And-Learn series, Facebook event page
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United States