Matilde Cassin

Matilde(Rachel) Cassin Vardi worked extensively to save Jewish refugees who fled the horrors of World War II and sought refuge in Florence. When the Germans entered Florence on August 8, 1943, she operated within a Jewish-Christian underground that helped hide Jews in monasteries and religious institutions in the area. Many hiding places were discovered by the SS and their fascist collaborators, and their inhabitants were sent to extermination camps in Germany, but many were also saved. An unofficial estimate suggests that about 200-300 people were saved thanks to this activity. On November 26, 2019, Matilde received the "Jewish Rescuer Award" from the B'nai B'rith World Organization at a ceremony held in Jerusalem.