Presentation by Jack Mayer - author of the book \"Life in a Jar - The Irena Sendler Project\" in New York

Around 150 people arrived to the Consulate General for an evening with Jack Mayer - author of the acclaimed book "Life in a Jar - The Irena Sendler Project" depicting the courageous life of Irena Sendler and how it was re-discovered by three Protestant Kansas teens, who "Rescued the Rescuer".

Jack Mayer\'s presentation began with a foreword by Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, who briefly introduced both Irena Sendler and Jack Mayer to the guests. Consul General further stressed the fact that she had had the privilege to know Irena Sendler personally. A short documentary movie about Irena Sendler\'s life, directed by Andrzej Wolf, was also shown to the audience. 

Following Consul General, Jack Mayer - an American pediatrician and writer of German-Jewish origin - took the floor. Mayer talked about the circumstances in which he had found out about Irena Sendler, whom he repeatedly compared to another Polish hero: Jan Karski. The author of "Life in a Jar" said that he had accidentally read a newspaper article about Irena Sendler, and a couple of years later he heard about the project of three Protestant Kansas schoolgirls, who "rescued the Rescuer" from being forgotten. Jack Mayer stated that he had contacted the three girls, who had decided to do everything they could to spread the history of Irena Sendler around the world. Along with them, the writer visited Poland and decided to write a book about the life of Irena Sendler. 

During his emotional presentation, Mayer depicted what life was like in the Warsaw Ghetto, and placed World War II in a larger context. He highlighted the enormous risk associated with the actions of people like Irena Sendler or Jan Karski. On the endnote, Jack Mayer noted that such stories of heroism should be passed on to future generations, so that the national heroes would not be forgotten. After a period of questions and answers, the floor was taken by Roman Kent, president of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous. Roman Kent shared his own memories - the memories of a Jewish child who was saved from the Holocaust, and his recollections of Irena Sendler. 

After the presentation Jack Mayer signed the books and continued discussing the life of Irena Sendler with the guests. 

The heroic mission of Irena Sendler enabled hundreds of Jewish children to find their relatives after the war, and above all helped in preserving their identity.