“The Picture by the Tree” a book that shows the story of Albanian’s saving the Jews!

With the valuable contribution of Alan Schneider, Director of Bnai Brith World Center in Jerusalem, https://www.bnaibrith.org/israel.html was made possible the publishing of a children’s book by #Maya Klinger Cohen and Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishers Ltd.

Albanian Embassy in Israel thanks all those who made possible the publication of this book!

This book is about the Veseli family, who rescued a Jewish family, the Mandils, during WWII. The Veselis were awarded the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. Their story can be read here: https://righteous.yadvashem.org/?search=Veseli%20&searchType=righteous_o…

The book tells the story of how the Veselis, living in a small Albanian village, gave the Mandils shelter and took care of all their needs when they were hiding from Nazi occupation. They did it not only out of the kindness of their heart but also in accordance of the Besa code of honor.

Thus the book sheds light not only on the particular story of the Veselis and the Mandils, but also on the larger story of Albanian culture and tradition and how it came to be that Albania, proved successful where other European countries failed, and managed to rescue most of its Jewish population as well as many refugees arriving from neighboring countries.

We believe that this fascinating and moving story can teach children in Israel a valuable lesson about how Albanian’s case can serve as a model of the way to treat refugees and people in need – a lesson very much needed in actual times.

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About myself

I was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel.

I was privileged to work for two years at “Yad Vashem” as a guide at the International School for Holocaust Studies. I met people from Israel and from all over the world, who came to learn about the darkest period of the Jewish people and of Humanity.

For seven years I was working as a librarian in an elementary school in Modiin, nurturing the love of reading in my students’ hearts.

In January 2020 I was asked to guide a group of Jewish teenagers and their parents in an exhibition that was held in the Jewish center in Rockville, Maryland (where I relocated with my family).

The exhibition told the stories of the Albanian Righteous among the nation, that were photographed by Norman H. Gershman. It was the first time that I had heard about the Alabanian Besa Code and I was amazed by this heroism. I have decided to choose a story of one righteous among nations and find out who he saved. I was lucky enough to come across the amazing story of the Mandil family.

I researched the story and contacted the family that cooperated with we wonderfully.

They think, much like me, that this story has not been told enough, and should be known to the Israeli children as well as to children all over the world – a story of love, friendship, courage, and kindness – values that as adults we need to strive to put before our children’s eyes.

“The Picture by the Tree” by Maya Klinger Cohen – Synopsis

This is a true story of a Jewish family during WW2 that is told from the eyes of the

five-year-old son of the family.

Moshe Mandil was a well-known photographer who lived with his wife (Gabriella) and two children (Gavra and Irena) in the city of Novi-Sad in former Yugoslavia.

In April 1941, during a familyvisit to Belgrade, the German forces conquer the city. As a result- the family cannot go back home andmust stay in Belgrade.

After a few weeks all the Jews in the city are commanded to gather in a central place, from which they will be sent to labor camps. Moshe decides to escapewith his family to the southern parts of Yugoslavia that were under Italian occupation.

With the help of their friends, they manage to get fake documents, to go on a train that goes south. A Nazi officer suspects they are Jews, and do not let them on the train.At the last minute,Moshe finds within his documents a photo he took as anadvertisement for his studio back home, where his little children are standing near a Christmas tree. This picture convinces the officer they are not Jewsand probably saves their lives. It was not the last timethat Moshe’s professionwould help them during the war.

The family arrives to a place called Pristina, where together with many other Jewish families, they are being locked down in the city prison – a very crowded place with harsh conditions, but still – they manage to build a life, alongside their Italian guards.

With an improvisedcameraassembled in the prison Moshe takes pictures of the guards, that come to like him very much. From them Moshehears that down south, in Albania, Jews are being treated well.

One day the guards give the Jewish prisoners a few oldbroken-downtrucks and tell them they can take them and drive themselves to Albania. Moshe’s family gets on the truck that goes to the city ofKavajë, and after a long, difficult ride – they arrive theretogether with a few other Jewish families.

In Albania they immediately feel welcomed. They are given food and clothes and are treated with a smile.

Moshe finds a place to live, they dress and behave as Muslims Albanians, using local names,and the children start going to school and kindergarten.

After a few good months in Kavajë, in the summer of 1943, the German soldiers conquer Albania, and Moshe decides to leave Kavajë and move to the capitol city of Tirana, where he hoped they would fade away in the crowd. Miraculously,he finds a job in a photo studio that is managed by an Albanian man who once worked with him back in Yugoslavia.Generously-the man agrees to let the Mandilslive in his apartment.

During his work at the shop – Moshe gets to know Refik Veseli – a seventeen-year-old apprentice, and they become good friends. When German soldiers start coming more often into the shop looking for Jews – Refik decidesthat he must do something to help the family.He travels to his home village, calledKrujë, and asks his family to hide the Mandils.Even thoughRefik’s family members knowwhat danger this would put them in – they do not hesitate and agree to do so in light of the Albanian Besa code.

After a long, dangerous journey, the Mandilfamily arrives to the Veseli home in Krujë, where they would spend almost a whole year – until the war ends. The Vesely family open their door and their hearts to the Mandil family and to three other Jews. The children were being treated as part of the family, and their parents – Moshe and Gabriella-were thankful to the whole family, and especially to Refik’s parents who were kindand good-hearted people,that managed to feed and hide everyone even in hard and risky times.They never asked for anything in return.

The two families stayed connected throughout the years until today, long after most of the characters in the book have passed away.

Refik Veseli, His parents and two of his brothers, were declared righteous among the nations by “Yad Vashem”,alongside seventy other brave Albanian people.

Dear Dr. Bardhyl Canaj, Ambassador Of the Republic of Albania.

My name is Noga Albalach and I write to you on behalf of Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House, a major Israeli publishing house for over 80 years.

I’m delighted to let you know that we intend to publish a children’s book by Maya Klinger Cohen (aimed at ages 8-12) about an Albanian Muslim family, the Veseli family, who rescued a Jewish family, the Mandils, during WWII. The Veselis were awarded the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. Their story can be read here.

Thus the book sheds light not only on the particular story of the Veselis and the Mandils, but also on the larger story of Albanian culture and tradition and how it came to be that Albania, the only European country with a majority of Muslims, proved successful where other European countries failed, and managed to rescue most of its Jewish population as well as many refugees arriving from neighboring countries.

We believe that this fascinating and moving story can teach children in Israel a valuable lesson about how Albanian Muslim culture can serve as a model of the way to treat refugees and people in need – a lesson very much needed in our own times.

In order to meet the goal of publishing this important book, I would like to ask if the Albanian Embassy would be willing to support the production of the book. 10K NIS can provide a necessary assistance for fulfilling the project, which sums up at over 40K NIS. We will be honored to print an acknowledgement to the embassy.

I would be grateful having your reply.

Sincerely yours, Noga Albalach CEO and editor in chief.

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