British Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie, who is also chairman of the Commission on the Status of Jewish War Orphans in Europe, today appealed to the Dutch authorities to restore Anneke Beekman and Rebecca Melhado to Jewish environments and provide for the type of upbringing that their martyred parents would have provided had they lived.
At a meeting of the commission here, Rabbi Brodie indicated that he intended to follow up his appeal with the authorities and any one else who could bring influence to bear to remedy this situation. The girls, both of Jewish parentage, were left in Catholic homes by their parents who were murdered by the Nazis, They have never been returned to the Jewish community, despite public appeals, court action and other attempts.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.