Fugitive Forest

The forest and other natural areas, such as the desert, have been a refuge for so many fleeing persecutions either by choice—to seek a safer life—or by necessity, such as partisans fighting the Nazis in WWII. Approximately 30,000 Jews throughout Eastern and Western Europe, many of them teens and women, fought back during the Holocaust as Jewish partisans. Camps provided protection for folks who could not fight, as well as for partisans who participated in various attacks. Few survived. The forests provided coverage, a sense of safety, and sometimes a sense of community. Their stories deserve to be heard and acknowledged.