Père Marie-Benoît and Jewish rescue : how a French priest together with Jewish friends saved thousands during the Holocaust

"With Pere Marie-Benoit and Jewish Rescue, we have before us a book that, in marvelous detail, describes the righteous behavior of a French priest . . . Author Susan Zuccotti, skillfully and in fine detail, describes the Capuchin's help in raising money from non-Jewish sources . . . How can one not recommend a well-researched and clearly written book that elevates us by illustrating the power of the human spirit in the face of evil and adversity?" * National Catholic Reporter * "Zuccotti has produced a fascinating and compelling history, all the more readable both for the careful style in which it is presented (giving it an appeal beyond the academic constituency) and for its human relevance in a world confronting further refugee crises." * French History * "This book is highly recommended for all academic libraries." * AJL Reviews * "Pere Marie-Benoit, Zuccotti observes, 'effectively straddled two worlds'. . . , the contemplative world of theological reflection and the active world of rescue and advocacy. Zuccotti's biography reveals the complex ways in which these worlds intersected, as well as the underlying convictions that bound and animated them. It is good to have such a thoughtful narrative of a life so well lived." * Holocaust and Genocide Studies * "A bright light within a dark, deeply distressing time in history." * Kirkus Reviews * "This book, thoroughly researched and highly readable, stands as a fitting monument to a man whose selfless acts in two countries had lifesaving consequences." * H-Judaic * "(Starred Review) Who better to rescue from obscurity an Oskar Schindler-like hero than historian Zuccotti? She has written extensively on the experience of French and Italian Jews in the Holocaust, but it's more than her impressive credentials and knowledge base that makes this biography an intellectual page-turner accessible to a general audience. This account of the life of Capuchin priest Pere Marie-Benoit and his successful efforts to save thousands of Jews offers the perfect amount of detail and context. Relying on archival sources and her own interviews with Marie-Benoit and those he helped to save, Zuccotti's portrait of the 'Father of the Jews' is as historically important as it is entertaining." * Publishers Weekly * "Pere Marie-Benoit found a devoted and conscientious biographer in Susan Zuccotti." * Jewish History * "Susan Zuccotti, in her insightful and thoroughly researched Pere Marie-Benoit and Jewish Rescue . . . makes the case for the crucial role played by extraordinary individuals during specific historical events." * Primo Levi Center * "This brave man had shown to the world how a single individual can make all the difference. Zuccotti's well-told story - with extensive notes on every chapter - is a tribute to tolerance and better understanding between all national, religious and racial groups, a challenge to this and future generations. One can only suggest that a large portrait of Pere Marie-Benoit should hang in the planned Jerusalem Museum of Tolerance." * Jerusalem Post * "This biography is a welcome addition to our understanding of the rescue efforts in behalf of Jews by righteous Christians like Marie-Benoit and the Jewish rescue networks with which he worked." * Jewish Book World * "[Zuccotti's] scholarship provides depth and context to the story of Pere Marie-Benoit and the perilous landscape in which he operated. Most of all, her biography helps to keep alive the memory of one of the brave men and women whose actions showed that goodness and charity will survive even in the midst of a great evil." * Wall Street Journal * Read more...