MOSTResource.org

Resources on Muslims for the Entertainment Industry

  • Story Bank
    • Business & Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Medical
    • National
    • Faith
    • Sports
    • Women
    • World
  • Resources
    • Faces & Places
    • Statistics
    • Infographics
    • Research / Reports
    • Quick Takes
  • Perspectives
  • Events
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Staff
    • Parent Organization
    • Videos
  • Story Bank
  • Business & Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • Medical
  • National
  • Faith
  • Sports
  • Women
  • World
mostresource storybank video

Explored Our Story Bank Yet?

Our curated collection of thousands of stories has helped top Hollywood writers, producers, and creatives. Watch our brief video to learn more.

World — December 4, 2018   

Muslim Albanians Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During The Holocaust

Original article by Cnaan Liphshiz published in the Times of Israel on 01/19/2018

Photo Credit: Times of Israel
Photo Credit: Times of Israel

During Nazi-occupied Europe, the Muslim nation of Albania saved and protected more Jewish refugees than in any other neighboring countries, according to the Times of Israel.

Local police were known to work for the resistance and instead of turning over Jews to the occupiers, they often helped Jews find shelter within the Albanian community. According to the Times, Albania, which is located northeast of Greece,” is perhaps the only Nazi-occupied country that had more Jews after the Holocaust than before… and were ten times more likely to be saved than in neighboring countries.”

Many attribute Albanians heroism due to a local code of honor known as Besa. This protection of the Jews — most of them refugees from neighboring Greece, Italy, Bulgaria and Serbia — was “an open secret” in the community, according to Rexhep Hoxha, a Muslim-Albanian whose family rescued many Jews during the Holocaust. “Not only the police knew, but all the neighbors knew as well. There was a circle of silence. It’s something connected to our culture. You don’t betray your guest, and you certainly don’t betray your neighbor.”

In 2015, Israel recognized Mr. Hoxha’s father posthumously as a Righteous Among the Nations — the Jewish state’s honorary title for non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. “My grandfather was a Muslim cleric. For him to leave his house and make room for [a] Jewish family, there is no tolerance more beautiful than this,” says Mr. Hoxha.

For more on these fascinating and important historical accounts, check out the documentary Besa: The Promise.

Read more ...

Our Experts Are Here To Help

Contact Quick

Want to start a conversation with our experts for help with your project?

Related Articles

  • M Film Lab Now Accepting Applications for Screenwriting Program
  • American Eid – Interview with Director Aqsa Altaf
  • Post vaccine, Muslim travelers are heading to… Israel

More From The Story Bank

M Film Lab Now Accepting...

Applications are now open for the inaugural M Film Lab: a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship opportunity for storytellers and creators committed to fair artistic representation of … [Read More...]

American Eid – Interview...

American Eid is a new, short film on Disney+ about two sisters from Pakistan adjusting to their new reality in America when they are unable to take off school to celebrate Eid, the festival after the … [Read More...]

Post vaccine, Muslim travelers...

Last year the Abraham Accords were signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. This marked a public normalization of relations not seen in decades. And with this new … [Read More...]

Meet the first Muslim head...

As new head coach for the New York Jets, Robert Saleh is making history as the first Muslim American to lead a team in the National Football League. The Lebanese American is also the third Arab … [Read More...]

Meet American’s Youngest...

According to The Hill, Bushra Amiwala "is part of a new generation stepping into politics." In 2019, she was elected to the Skokie Board of Education in Illinois, making this Pakistani-American … [Read More...]

Enter your email to receive periodic updates

Sign Up Quick

Sign up to receive periodic updates

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy© 2002–2025 MOST ResourceMOST Resource globe


We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and to collect anonymous data to enable us to manage our website. Our Privacy Policy is a complete disclosure of our data collection policies, including the choices you have to control information we might collect. Your use of this site represents your consent to our Privacy Policy.