A 92-year-old Greek woman who helped save the lives of a Jewish family decades ago was emotionally reunited with the siblings on Sunday at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.
During the moving reunion, siblings Sarah Yanai and Yossi Mor, whose surname had been Mordechai, hugged Melpomeni Dina and teared up as they finally got a chance to see the woman who saved their lives during the Holocaust in Greece, The Times of Israel reported.
“There are no words to describe this feeling,” Yanai, now 86, said. “It is very emotional for us to be together again.”
"We were hidden in her house. She saved all my family. Six people, you can't imagine how dangerous it was for her, for her family, to keep us all," she added.
"What can I say. They saved our lives.”
Holding the hands of those she hid, fed and protected as a teenager over 75 years ago, Dina was also overwhelmed as it was the first time Dina had met the offspring of the family she helped save.
The Mordechai family lived in Veria, Macedonia, where nearly the entire Jewish community was destroyed within a few months in one of the most brutal executions of the Nazis, however, they were saved thanks to the brave sisters.
Yossi Dagan, one of Mor's grandchildren, said he grew up hearing this story over and over again. "For me, the three Greek sisters always symbolised heroism, a model of life," said Dagan, 28.
On Sunday, Sarah and Yossi brought their children and grandchildren to meet the lady who saved them. More than 20 family members stood in front of Melpomeni before hugging her, one by one.
"I would like to have saved more," Melpomeni said in Greek.
*Source: The Times of Israel
