On May 31, 2016, the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center accepted the transfer of the BESA collection of photographs from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum.
BESA: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II is a set of photographs by Norman Gershman. It tells the story of Albanian Muslims who sheltered Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. At great risk to themselves and their families, compelled by their traditional honor code of BESA, they saved the lives of nearly two thousand Jews.
Sponsored by The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum
and The Albanian Islamic Cultural Center
in cooperation with The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
and Wagner College.