Brookdale to Host Free Screening of “Disobedience”

LINCROFT, NJ (March 3, 2015) – Community members are invited to a free film screening of “Disobedience: The Sousa Mendes Story” on March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.

The film tells the true story of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese consul stationed in Bordeaux, France during World War II. When the Nazis invaded in 1940, Sousa Mendes defied the orders of his government by illegally granting visas to an estimated 30,000 refugees, including approximately 10,000 Jews.

Historians have called the act the largest rescue action by a single individual during the Holocaust. This year marks its 75^th anniversary.

The screening will be followed by an interactive discussion hosted by Joan Halperin, whose family was saved by Sousa Mendes’ act of disobedience.

“Aristides de Sousa Mendes acted with extraordinary moral courage in issuing lifesaving visas to many thousands of desperate souls. By a stroke of good fortune my family numbered among them,” said Halperin. “This is an effort to pay tribute to Sousa Mendes and help tell his story, so that future generations can neither deny nor forget what he did.”

The event, held in Brookdale’s Student Life Center, is co-sponsored by the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights and Genocide Education (Chhange), the Brookdale International Education Center, Brookdale’s Office of Student Life and Activities and the Sousa Mendes Foundation.

For more information call Janice Thomas at 732-224-2799 or email international@brookdalecc.edu.