S E C T I O N B : Li vi n g O u r V al u e s
R e s c u e a t t h e Vill a E m m a I
n t h e s u m m er of 1 9 4 2, t h o us a n ds of J e wis h m e n, w o m e n a n d c hil dr e n w er e dis a p p e ari n g
i nt o t h e c o n c e ntr ati o n
c a m ps of N a zi- o c c u pi e d E ur o p e. O n t h e 1 8t h of J ul y 1 9 4 2, a gr o u p of 1 0 7 J e wis h or p h a ns, a g e d fr o m si x t o ei g ht e e n, w er e s m u g gl e d fr o m Cr o ati a
i nt o
t o l e ar n It ali a n. T h e y w e nt o n hi k es a n d pi c ni cs. T h e y p ut o n s h o ws t o e nt ert ai n t h e vill a g ers. T h e y f elt s af e. H o w e v er, t his i d ylli c lif e di d n ot l ast.
It al y. T h e
c hil dr e n a n d t h eir c ar er, 2 3- y e ar- ol d J os ef It h ai, w er e m et b y M ari o Fi n zi, l e a d er of t h e J e wis h R eli ef Or g a nis ati o n. H e t ol d t h e m t h at h e w o ul d bri n g t h e m t o a s af e pl a c e. H e t o o k t h e m t o N o n a nt ol a, a s m all f ar mi n g vill a g e n ort h of B ol o g n a. Wit h t h e h el p of C at h oli c m o n ks at t h e
a b b e y i n N o n a nt ol a, a pl a n w as m a d e f or t h e c hil dr e n t o li v e i n t h e Vill a E m m a, a dis us e d m a nsi o n o n t h e gr o u n ds of t h e a b b e y. T h e J e wis h R eli ef Or g a nis ati o n w o ul d p a y f or all t h e c hil dr e n’s e x p e ns es. J os ef It h ai w orri e d a b o ut h o w tr ust w ort h y t h e It ali a n vill a g ers w o ul d b e. H o w e v er, his w orri es f a d e d o n c e h e a n d t h e c hil dr e n r e a c h e d N o n a nt ol a. T o It h ai’s r eli ef t h e y w er e m et b y fri e n dl y vill a g ers w h o g a v e t h e c hil dr e n c a n dl es t o li g ht t h eir w a y a n d g ui d e d t h e m u p t o t h e Vill a E m m a. T h e
l ar g e e m pt y. H o w e v er,
m a nsi o n w as c o m pl et el y l o c al w o m e n br o u g ht
f o o d f or t h e c hil dr e n. Fr Arri g o B e c c ari a n d Dr Gi us e p e M or e ali t h e n c a m e t o gr e et t h e m. T h e y ass ur e d
It h ai a n d t h e
c hil dr e n t h at t h e y w er e s af e. T h e y als o a gr e e d t o s et u p a s c h o ol pr o gr a m m e f or t h e c hil dr e n. T h e c hil dr e n f elt at h o m e i n N o n a nt ol a. T h e y m a d e m a n y fri e n ds a m o n g t h e l o c al c hil dr e n a n d t h e y b e g a n
I n S e pt e m b er 1 9 4 3, m or e t h a n a y e ar
aft er t h e c hil dr e n h a d arri v e d i n N o n a nt ol a, It al y s urr e n d er e d t o t h e Alli es. I n r es p o ns e, Hitl er or d er e d G er m a n tr o o ps t o o c c u p y n ort h er n
It al y. T o e v er y o n e’s s ur pris e,
G er m a n s ol di ers arri v e d i n N o n a nt ol a a n d s et u p a milit ar y h os pit al j ust a cr oss t h e str e et fr o m t h e Vill a E m m a. Fr B e c c ari a n d Dr M or e ali f e ar e d t h e G er m a ns mi g ht fi n d t h e J e wis h
or p h a ns
w hil e o n a r o uti n e p atr ol of t h e t o w n. T h e y br o u g ht t h e c hil dr e n u p t o t h e a b b e y u n d er t h e c o v er of d ar k n ess a n d hi d t h e m t h er e. T his w as o nl y a t e m p or ar y s ol uti o n, as t h er e w as n ot e n o u g h r o o m f or all of t h e c hil dr e n. Fr B e c c ari a n d Dr M or e ali d e ci d e d t h at t h e s af est c o urs e of a cti o n w as t o hi d e t h e c hil dr e n t hr o u g h o ut t h e vill a g e of N o n a nt ol a. T h e y w e nt fr o m d o or t o d o or i n t h e vill a g e a n d t h e s urr o u n di n g
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