A Grateful Jewish Community Honors Righteous Gentiles in Ukraine

The Jewish community of Simferopol in Southern Ukraine honored 22 people who have been newly awarded the status of Righteous Gentiles. These individuals were acknowledged for acts of tremendous bravery and humanitarianism through which they saved scores of Jews from certain death during World War II. The third such ceremony held recently at the JDC-sponsored Hesed welfare center drew a large crowd of distinguished guests, including family members of Righteous Gentiles – 20 of whom were awarded the title posthumously – as well as government officials and the press.

Naomi Ben-Ami, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, spoke eloquently of the honorees' courage. "I'm sure there are hardly ever more honorable duties and exciting moments for Israeli diplomats than awarding diplomas to those who saved Jewish people during World War II," said Ben-Ami. "The Israeli State has always considered it its duty to remember and honor the memory of not only every soldier who perished, but also every Righteous Gentile, every hero of humanism…"

Evdokia, 85 years of age, was certainly such a hero, and was grateful to attend the ceremony in her lifetime. When fascists occupied Evdokia and her husband Leopold's village, the couple risked their lives to hide a Jewish woman named Zhenya and her son Misha. They hid them in the attic, the cowshed, and the cellar. Zhenya went off to a partisan detachment in attempt to rescue Jews and stage rebellions against the Nazi regime. Soon thereafter, when Evdokia gave birth to twins of her own, she kept all three babies together in one big wooden baby carriage specially made by Leonid. Though fully aware that the penalty for hiding even a single Jew was death, Evdokia and Leonid nonetheless continued to endanger themselves for the sake of the Jewish boy. Evdokia took care of Misha as if he were her own child. In 1943, Misha's grandmother located Evdokia's village and was reunited with the boy.

Special tribute was paid to another remarkable individual, Dmitry Omelyanyuk. Chairman of the Crimean Association of Righteous Gentiles, Dmitry is also an active museum program volunteer. In collaboration with Yad Vashem, the museum collects materials that support awarding the status of Righteous Gentile to qualifying individuals. Thanks to his devoted work and he efforts of the museum staff, the distinction of Righteous Gentiles has been awarded to 215 individuals in Crimea and 72 in Ukraine.

Dmitry was nine years old when WWII started. "My mother found two wounded people in our cellar, Rubin and Leiba. They were Jews that had managed to escape from the fascists," Dmitry explained. "Until they recovered and were able to join the partisans, we hid them in the haystacks near our house." So as not to raise suspicion on the part of the neighbors and German soldiers, Dmitry was chosen to bring the food, medications and other necessities to Rubin and Leiba. "My responsibilities also included watching the courtyard and street, and producing special alarm signals when someone was approaching the house or haystacks," he recalled. "Some time later, father helped the two men move to the partisan detachment."

For 13 years Dmitry has been actively seeking people who performed deeds similar to that of his family. "I am thankful to them, and I am happy they are appreciated by the Jewish community," he says. "The help coming to these people from the Hesed is vital, and the understanding that they are needed is revitalizing to them!" Because of their contribution to Jewish life, Dmitry and other Righteous Gentiles in the former Soviet Union are eligible to receive a full spectrum of social welfare benefits through the 174 JDC-sponsored Hesed centers. Among other services, the Hesed provides them with food packages, hot meals, home care, medications, rehabilitation equipment, winter relief, and emergency assistance.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was a performance by the Hesed's vocal and dance groups. The children's group Ruah Haim ("spirit of life") sang a touching rendition of "Light a Candle," which brought tears of joy to many in attendance.

The following is an excerpt from "The Crimean Republic", one of the media outlets that covered the event:

With gratitude for humanity and selflessness of those who saved Jews from the fascists, the Israeli citizens together with Jerusalem museum Yad Vashem, planted trees each bearing the names of Righteous
Gentiles – the title awarded to those who by the words of Israeli Ambassador Naomi Ben-Ami "restored a human face of our civilization".