Kafar Brygida ; Husband: Teofil

Kafar, Teofil Kafar, Brygida In 1942, during the liquidation of the Hoszcza ghetto, in the Volhynia district, Basia Wajsman escaped. After staying for a few days on a farmer’s estate in one of the nearby villages, Wajsman had to leave for fear the Ukrainian neighbors would betray her. In utter despair, Wajsman wandered through the local villages, until she decided to ask Teofil and Brygida Kafar for help. The Kafars, out of sincere humanitarian motives based on their religious faith, agreed to take her in unconditionally. Wajsman was taken to their attic where to her surprise, she found three other Jewish fugitives, including Goldstein, a relative of hers, whom the Kafars were hiding. Despite German and Ukrainian raids against local Poles, the Kafars continued looking after their charges for almost four months until they themselves were forced to leave the village after nationalist Ukrainians threatened to set fire to their home. Before leaving, the Kafars arranged for their charges to move in with a Ukrainian friend who lived in the neighboring village, where they stayed until the area was liberated by the Red Army in the summer of 1944. Teofil Kafar lost his life while taking part in the battles to liberate the area. After the war, the survivors emigrated from Poland, while Brygida Kafar moved to a region within the new Polish borders. In 1968, Wajsman invited Brygida Kafar to visit her. On October 7, 1969, Yad Vashem recognized Brygida and Teofil Kafar as Righteous Among the Nations.