RighteousVancouver

'Righteous Among the Nations' in Vancouver

  •   'Righteous Among the Nations' in Vancouver
  • 11/7/2018
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    ​The ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ award is one of the most prestigious designations granted by the State of Israel. It is given to non-Jews who assisted Jewish people during WWII, often at great risk to themselves and their families.

    On November 7, Consul General Galit Baram was in Vancouver to present this honour to the late Dutch couple Dirk Pieter Kalkman and Klaasje Kalkman (nee Kuipers). The story of the Kalkman family is a remarkable one and emblematic of the bravery of many who put their lives at risk to protect European Jews in a time of chaos. At the request of the local Revered Post (brother of Johannes Post, a famous member of the Dutch resistance), the couple sheltered Catharina Six tot Oeterleek-Kuijper, a Jewish widow. She lived with the Kalkmans under the alias of ‘Aunt Ina’ and was therefore able to play a prominent role in the life of the family. Thanks to the help of the Kalkmans, Catharina survived the entire war until Dutch liberation in 1945.

    In a very moving ceremony, the award was accepted on behalf of Dirk Pieter and Klaasje by their grandson Peter and his son Matthew. The medal and certificate were presented by the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada and the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem. Many members of the Jewish community came out to show their deep appreciation for this noble act of human kindness. The Kalkmans spoke about their family during that terrible period bringing many in the audience to tears. During the ceremony, Israeli guitarist Liel Amdour and high school student, Ethan Doctor beautifully performed the Canadian and Israeli national anthems as well as a selection of classical music. Both artists were a fine representation of the young, thriving Jewish community in Vancouver.

    We would like to extend our gratitude to our project partners: the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and the Norman Rothstein Theater at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.