Irena Sendler definitely was a woman of character, courage & commitment! She dedicated her life to one of the most risky philanthropic challenges — saving Polish Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto.
She was a Catholic woman who knew this was a horrific situation. She said, “I was taught that if you see a person drowning, you must jump into the water to save them, whether you can swim or not.”
She jumped into this situation to make a difference. Pretending to be a nurse she saved an estimated 3,000 children from desperate conditions.. Most of the parents who were beyond distraught handing over their children to her asked if she could guarantee the children would live. She honestly said, “The only guarantee was that the children would most likely die if they stayed.” The children were given to Catholic charities and their names were changed to protect them. Hoping the children would someday be reunited with their families, she wrote their true names on thin rolls of paper, put them in glass jars and buried them in a friend’s garden.
Even after being captured by the Nazis and brutally tortured, she never revealed any details that would endanger anyone.
Children in a rural Kansas town learned about Irena Sendler and wrote a play called “Life in a Jar” which is produced throughout the country. Learn more about this amazing women and the project at www.irenasendler.org/.
These amazing commitments and adventures of doing what is right in a time when people were desperate to simply survive speaks volumes of her authentic leadership style.
During this celebration of character, courage & commitment – I celebrate the authentic leadership style of Irena Sandler!
Thank you! What a woman!
