ADL YLP: Jeannie Opdyke Smith, Courage to Care: A Righteous Gentile's Story

Thank you for your interest in the Anti-Defamation League’s Young Leaders & Professionals (YLP) program on Tuesday, May 20 at the United Way of Greater Houston beginning at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The featured speaker is Jeannie Opdyke Smith, the daughter of Irene Gut Opdyke, who saved 12 Jews during the Holocaust when she was a teenager. While serving as a housekeeper to a Nazi soldier, Irene secretly hid the Jewish men, women and children in the basement of his home. They would have certainly gone to their death had she not acted selflessly and bravely when they were discovered. In 1982 she was recognized as a “Righteous Among the Nations.” In 1999, her autobiography entitled “In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer” was published. In 2009, Irena’s Vow, a play showcasing her life, opened on Broadway. Irene Gut Opdyke died in 2003. Her daughter, Jeannie Opdyke Smith, now carries on her mother’s story.

Reception at 6:30 p.m. Formal program at 7:00 p.m. Please register via the registration links, provide all the required information, and bring a copy of your registration to the event.