Over two years ago, I posted an article on the Forum of Polish Jews titled, DESTROY DANIELS. I wrote about people––Poles and Jews––who can’t stand the situation that someone guided by his heart and a sense of justice works more effectively than they ever did. While they should act, they quite simply don’t, because they’ve entrenched themselves permanently in their aversion, prejudice, maybe even hatred.

Nothing has changed since then. Jonny Daniels, a Jewish guest from the UK currently in Poland, is still „doing his job,” meaning he is continuing invaluable work, primarily honoring people who risked their lives during the Holocaust by saving Jews.

A few days ago, his foundation, From The Depths, honored such heroes yet again, including the oldest living Polish recipient of the Righteous Among Nations award––the hundred-year-old Józef Walaszczyk.

Nothing has changed. Daniels doesn’t give up. He’s a tough man. He has a clearly defined goal; he’s completely immune to envy, jealousy, slander, gossip, and innuendo.

And these come from both sides attacking him.

On one side are the anti-Semitic Polish nationalists who’ve announced that Daniels is the „Polish government puppeteer,” a „Mossad agent,” and similar meme, clickbait nonsense.

The other side is mostly a group of Polish Jews for whom Daniels’ activities destroy their preferred, intrinsic prejudices and stereotypes. They simply believe Daniels is a „fig leaf of Polish anti-Semitism,” „a court Jew,” that he „works for the government of the PiS party,” and similar convenient, age-old nonsense.

All in all, both groups care about the very same thing: cultivating Polish-Jewish conflict, fueling mutual resentments. For them, Daniels is arguably the most dangerous enemy of all because, unlike them, he is a man dedicated entirely to peace and understanding.

And yet it is Poles––especially those who often refer to their patriotism, or even more vocally, their nationalism––who should be organizing a solemn birthday for a hundred-year-old man who saved several dozen Jews from death…

Just as much as the Jewish organizations that have been active in Poland for years who should be honoring this righteous inspiration on the occasion of his hundredth birthday.

The former group, from a sense of national pride––the rescuer is a proud Pole. The latter, as a profound expression of gratitude––that proud Pole saved Jews.

Yet neither of them did.

And who did it for them?

Jonny Daniels and his organization.

Well done, Jonny! Keep up the good work! Our thoughts are with you, and above all…

Thank you!

Paweł Jędrzejewski