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Visas & Virtue Honored at 45^th Anniversary Dance

The "1939" Club celebrated 45 years together at its Anniversary Dinner Dance Celebration on Saturday, November 8, 1997 at the Grand Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.  Approximately 200 guests attended the event including dignitaries from the Japanese American Community.  The "1939" Club bestowed its Humanitarian Award upon the film makes of the movie "Visas and Virtue".

Over the years, The "1939" Club has conferred a Humanitarian Award to those who have made a significant contribution to the under-standing of the events of the Holocaust.  Past recipients have included the TV mini-series "Holocaust" and the Academy Award winning "Anne Frank Remembered".

This year, the Humanitarian Award was given to the film "Visas and Virtue", developed by three talented young men, Tim Toyama the Executive Producer, Chris Tashima the star, and Chris Donohue the producer.  Accepting the award was Tim Toyama with most of the cast present. Over 90 volunteers gave their artistic and technical talents toward making this film and funding was provided by over 270 donors.  The film debut recently and is being shown throughout the United States telling the important story of a courageous man and woman who saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.

The film "Visas and Virtue" is inspired by the humanitarian efforts of Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara, who in 1940, as a 40 year old consul general from Japan to Lithuania, granted over 2000 transit visas to Jewish families attempting to flee the Nazi onslaught.  Mr. Sugihara continued to issue the visas, risking his diplomatic career, even after being ordered to stop doing so by the Japanese government.

Chiune Sugihara and his wife Yukiko Sugihara, decided, based upon their ethos of the Samurai teachings - to help others in need - to use their diplomatic position to help the Jews.  The Samurai virtue of "gambate" - internal strength and resourcefulness - was the power that provided a light for both Sugihara and the people he helped.

Working night and day, Mr. and Mrs. Sugihara issued over two thousand visas to Jewish families.  After he was ordered to leave Lithuania and go to Berlin, thousands more visas were forged through the use of a rubber impression of the consul's stamp that he left behind.

The evening was a terrific success with Israeli dancing, music from the Ruben Berci Orchestra, and a special treat from concert artist Hershey Felder.  Special guests included the eldest son of Chiune and Yukiko Sugihara - Hiroki Sugihara, the Special Assistant to the Consul General of Japan Etsuko Yoneda, the President and the Executive Director of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center Minoru Tonai and Gerald Yoshitomi, the Director of Public Programs of the Japanese American National Museum Cayleen Nakamura, and the former Prime Minister of Canada who is the current Consul General of Canada - the Right Honorable Kim Campbell. 

The evening included a presentation of $20,000 to the United Jewish Fund, accepted by Dr. Beryl Geber, a viewing of a clip from the movie "Visas and Virtue", and concluded with an animated dance of the Hora by The "1939" Club around all of the "Visas and Virtue" guests along with Mr. Hiroki Sugihara.