Among the Righteous

Among the Righteous documents the search for Arab rescuers who helped protect Jews during the Holocaust in North Africa. Robert Satloff, a historian and Middle East expert, travels through Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and other regions to uncover these hidden stories from World War II. The book follows Satloff's investigation into the Nazi occupation of North Africa and its impact on both Jewish and Muslim communities. Through interviews, archival research, and on-the-ground exploration, he pieces together accounts of Arab individuals who risked their lives to shelter Jews from persecution. His research challenges common assumptions about Arab-Jewish relations during this period and reveals previously undocumented acts of courage. Satloff works to identify and recognize these forgotten heroes while examining why their stories remained untold for so long. The narrative explores themes of human dignity and moral choice in times of crisis, while addressing the complex historical relationship between Arabs and Jews. Through these recovered stories, the book contributes to broader discussions about Holocaust history and interfaith understanding in the modern Middle East.

Readers describe this book as documenting a little-known aspect of Holocaust history in North Africa. Many note it fills a gap in WWII literature by examining Arab-Jewish relations during Nazi occupation. Readers appreciated: - Clear writing style making complex history accessible - Personal stories and firsthand accounts - Extensive research and documentation - Balance in portraying both Arab protectors and collaborators Common criticisms: - Some found the narrative structure jumps around too much - Several readers wanted more in-depth analysis - A few noted repetitive passages One reader said "it reads like a detective story" while another praised how it "sheds light on unsung heroes." Critics noted it "scratches the surface but doesn't dig deep enough." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (12 ratings) The book maintains solid ratings across platforms despite some readers wanting more comprehensive coverage of the topic.

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🔹 Robert Satloff discovered that the only known Arab nominee to Yad Vashem's "Righteous Among Nations" was Si Ali Sakkat, a former mayor of Tunis who sheltered 60 Jewish refugee workers at his farm 🔹 The book emerged from the author's personal quest after 9/11 to find positive stories of Arab-Jewish cooperation to counter growing Holocaust denial in the Arab world 🔹 During WWII, more than 100 labor camps and detention facilities for Jews were established in Arab lands, many operated by Nazi forces in North Africa 🔹 Si Kaddour Benghabrit, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, helped save numerous Jews by providing them with false papers identifying them as Muslims 🔹 The research for this book helped uncover previously unknown stories of rescue, including that of Khaled Abdul-Wahab, a wealthy Tunisian who sheltered Jewish families in his countryside estate