Magda Trocme: A Mother Responds, "Hineni!"

During World War II, the inhabitants of the plateau Vivarais-Lignon amid the mountains of southeastern France shielded between 2,500 and 5,000 Jews and other refugees. Magda Trocmé, the freethinking wife of a Protestant pastor in the plateau town of Chambon-sur-Lignon, was just one of these many rescuers. However, her response to the Jewish refugees deserves study in two respects. First, her actions were not based on religious principles, but on a perceived duty to another in need. Second, her actions exemplify the feminine qualities of rescue. Magda's sense of duty towards others and her readiness to serve can best be described by the Hebrew concept hineni: "Here I am, send me, I am ready to serve you." An examination of Magda Trocmé's actions and mindset reveals a woman who acted towards others as a mother answering a child's call with "Hineni!"