Lucien Lazare, Holocaust Survivor and Peace Advocate, Dies at 102

Dr. Lucien Lazare, a Holocaust survivor, Resistance fighter, educator, historian, and peace advocate, passed away in Jerusalem at the age of 102. Born in Strasbourg in 1924, Lazare was orphaned at 14 and joined the Jewish Scouts and their underground rescue network during World War II, fighting with the Maquis. After the war, he and his wife, Janine, dedicated themselves to Jewish life and education, serving as a school principal in Brussels and a leader in the Strasbourg Jewish community.

In 1968, Lazare immigrated to Israel with his family and became the founding principal of the René Cassin High School in Jerusalem. He later devoted his life to researching and documenting the French Jewish underground and honoring Righteous Among the Nations, serving on Yad Vashem's committee. He taught that true fatherhood is measured by love given, not blood ties, and was known as a "knight of the legion of love" for all humanity.

Lazare transitioned from a wartime fighter to a proponent of non-violence, advocating for the expulsion of hatred. He emphasized understanding the pain of others and fostering hope for coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. A profound personal experience involved a desecrated Hebrew Bible during the war, which was later replaced by a German Protestant pastor who felt a shared responsibility for the act. Decades later, after a mosque in Yasuf was vandalized by Jewish settlers, Lazare sent a Quran to the village with a message mirroring the pastor's words, promoting reconciliation.

His life's work focused on the 'triangle' of perpetrators, victims, and rescuers during the Holocaust, highlighting the heroism of rescuers from all nations. He championed the inclusion of French Righteous Among the Nations in the Pantheon in Paris. Lazare's final word to his family was 'Shalom' (peace), leaving them with the legacy to 'make peace and expel hatred.' He is survived by over a hundred family members.