"Wondrous tales of noble heroism and self sacrifice have sometimes pierced the evil of the Holocaust, but few are more compelling than the heroism of the Greek Christians of Zakynthos. Led by their Bishop and Mayor, these ‘ordinary people’ hid their Jewish neighbors and saved them from certain death at the hands of their German Occupiers. The people of Zakynthos have set a rarified example of humanity in the face of tyranny that will inspire for generations. Deno Seder has performed a great service to history by his riveting work and careful research."

Rabbi Meyer H. May
Executive Director, Simon Wiesenthal Center

 

"Any student of World War II and the Holocaust-- in fact, any student of history-- should read this book. It is a testament to the human spirit and to the courage of two men who were willing to risk their own lives to save the Jewish community of the Greek island of Zakynthos. And they succeeded!"

Michael Dukakis
Former Governor of Massachusetts
and candidate for president

 

"The fact that not a single Jew was deported from the island of Zakynthos stands as an anomaly in the tragic history of Jews under the Nazi regime.  Why did this small Greek community refuse to stand by while other communities and nations abandoned their Jewish populations? Miracle at Zakynthos uncovers a little-known story of World War II in compelling detail, explaining how two men went to extraordinary lengths to protect their neighbors while 70,000 other Greek Jews perished."

Abraham H. Foxman
National Director, Anti-Defamation League

 

"In this well-researched and documented collection of firsthand accounts and historical texts, we witness the great spiritual stature of our not-so-distant forebears. Today, nearly seventy years after the liberation of Greece from German occupation, this book continues to serve as a painful, albeit powerful reminder of the intrepid bravery shown by the Hierarchs, Priests and Greek people in the face of inhumane threats against their Jewish neighbors in Greece. It is our prayer that this book will inspire and provide hope in our day, just as the actions of the islanders and the resulting salvation from death of the Greek Jewish population of Zakynthos bolstered the spirits of the Greek people in those dark and difficult times."

His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

 

"Thank you for your unique book, Miracle at Zakynthos. Zakynthos is one of the few places in the world that, due to the heartfelt dedication of bishop Chrysostomos and Mayor Loucas Carrer, succeeded in saving all the island’s population from a terrible massacre. More than seventy years have passed since those horrible days when darkness covered the earth. I was happy to read about this ray of light. To my sorrow, there were too few of them during this time in history. The world today must learn from their hardship and behavior. According to our Torah, great value is placed on human life and the preservation of human dignity, which is the essence of the rescuers’ motivation. I hope and pray that this book will become a beacon to humanity and inspire dedication to our fellow man."

Rabbi David Lau
Chief Rabbi of Israel

 

“On behalf of our community, you have our gratitude for writing about this sensitive and often forgotten or unknown topic.”

Rabbi Gabriel M. I. Negrin
Chief Rabbi of Greece