There are many stories of heroes in our recent 9/11 anniversary post: Rick Rescorla. Abe Zelmanowitz. Frank De Martini and Pablo Ortiz. Mark Bingham and his companions on Flight 93. And on, and on.
Israel has a lot of Russians, so it's no surprise that Israeli blogger Allison Kaplan Sommer found (and translated) a remarkable story from the Israeli press: 74 year-old Yanis Kanidis, the hero of Beslan. This is a story you need to read:
"In an act of unlimited devotion and dedication, to the bitter end, an elderly teacher insisted on remaining with his students. He protected them, bandaged their wounds, and with his death, saved their lives. Children who escaped from the school told of how they owed their lived to elderly Yanis (Ivan) Kanidis, age 74 – a man of Greek origin who worked as a gym teacher at the school."
This was no act of one-time heroism, either. Again and again, Kanidis chose to put himself in danger on behalf of the children in his care. Again and again, he openly confronted the terrorists - and got results. When the end came, he chose to die that more might live. Ecce homo.
Yanis Kanidis is dead, accepted in mercy and grace to the eternal dwelling place of the great and the good. In whose mighty company he shall not now be ashamed.
UPDATE: The news story also refers in passing to a man named Janus Korczak, a famous Polish childrens' rights advocate and orphanage director who refused several amnesties and accompanied his Jewish charges to the gas chambers of Treblinka. There's a haunting memorial statue to him at Yad Vashem.
I should add that Janus Korczak also has a fine memorial bronze statue in the entrance hall of my synagogue. I always find it inexpressibly sad when I see it, but somehow it's hopeful as well.