Auschwitz
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Jonny Daniels, Chair of "From the Depths," an organization involved in improving relations between Israel, Jews and Poland, responded to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieck's statement that "there were Polish perpetrators" in the Holocaust, "as there were Jewish perpetrators."

"Holocaust denial is not just denying the fact that the Holocaust took place, but it’s also connected to making up facts to suit ourselves and a narrative, Holocaust denial is calling German Nazi death camps 'Polish.' It’s also equating Polish and Jewish collaborators."

"We must be clear and honest, there were Jews who collaborated with the German Nazis on a tiny scale. Most of those did so out of a hope that this would somehow save their lives or the lives of others.

"The vast majority of the thousands of Polish collaborators did so either out of greed or pure hate.

"The huge difference between Polish collaborators and Jewish ones is the reason that equating them is most definitely Holocaust denial.

"The story that for me best illustrates the complicated history of Polish-Jewish Relations is that of the Skoczylas family in Rekowka, whose home we helped preserve as it has one of the last known hiding places in existence. This remarkable Catholic Polish family decided to hide their Jewish neighbors in a purposely built bunker under the floor boards in their kitchen.

"The family was given up by the Polish mayor of the city in return for a cow. Nine members of the Polish family were murdered because of the greed of another Pole.

"There were good and bad. Over the past 4 years my foundation 'From The Depths' has focused heavily on the stories of the little known and sometimes unknown heroes who risked their lives, the lives of their families and sometimes entire villages to save their Jewish neighbors. I still firmly believe that we gain a great deal more by focusing on these incredible people than focusing on evil, however, there was undeniably much evil throughout this difficult time, but one doesn’t cancel another out.

"Without openness and truth, we deny the memory of 6 million Jews, 3 million ethnic Poles and others. Now is the time to unite behind truth and not push our own narratives.

"For many years, Polish-Jewish relations and dialogue often ignored this massive elephant in the room. Clearly this conversation and dialogue wasn’t necessarily started in the best format, but now it’s here and open, we should speak and build a better future for us all."