Parliament marks 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp

The Ukrainian parliament hosted its history yesterday (Thursday), an event marking International Holocaust Day and 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. The event was jointly organized by the rabbi of Kiev, Rabbi Jonathan Markovich, Israel's Honorary Consul in Ukraine, Mr. Oleg Vyshnyakov and Chairman of the Israel-Ukraine Friends of Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Alexander Konitsky.

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The event was held in the wake of tensions between Jerusalem and Kiev in light of commemorative marches held at the beginning of the civil year in Kiev and Krakow to mark the 111th anniversary of the birth of Ukrainian nationalist leader Stefan Bandra, who was responsible for the murder of thousands of Jews. In recent days, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has issued a special statement of condemnation against the glorification of such persons.

During the incident, Rabbi Markovic told how his grandfather's name, named after him, was murdered by the Nazis and Ukrainian collaborators during the Holocaust. "I want to tell you about a Jewish family living in Ukraine during World War II, the Ostricher family. The father of the family was called Rabbi Jonathan Benjamin, and his wife was called Feige Esther. The killers brought this family into the room, along with their three granddaughters and burned them. "

Rabbi Markovich emphasized that his presence at the event was an achievement: "I would like to stand here before you today, and say that I, the name of my great-grandfather, who was burned on this land just because he was a Jew." Mercy "for the soul of the Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

Photo by Ian Dobronosov

Israel's ambassador, Mr. Joel Leon, mentioned in his address that this is the first time that the Ukrainian parliament is marking International Holocaust Day. "Having such an event for the first time in the Ukrainian parliament only points to the new administration's desire to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, to educate tolerance and to fight against anti-Semitism. At the same time, we hope that we will see those extremists who carry out anti-Semitic activities stand trial."

Ambassador Leon went on to say, "Of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, 1.5 million Jews, men, women, children and babies were murdered here, in the territory of Ukraine." Leon added that the Nazis wanted to exterminate the Jewish people, but the Jewish people's answer is " Standing here today, wearing a brooch with a blue Star of David, not yellow, and representing the State of Israel. "

Leon took advantage of the invitations and called on the Ukrainian government to adopt the IHRA's definition of anti-Semitism, saying that while anti-Semitic acts in Ukraine are on the decline, there are still anti-Semitic statements in the country.

Daniel Gatmanzov, chairman of the Finance Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament, who also serves as co-chair of the Israel-Ukraine Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, said in his speech that "the Holocaust is a disaster. But not only of the Jewish people, but of the whole world, including the Ukrainian people. "Getmanzav went on to say that" during World War II, my family lived in occupied Kiev. Several families lived in the building. One day their Jewish neighbors were taken by the Nazis. They left their grandmother's family because they were not Jews. But the neighbors took it, just because they were Jewish. These were generous and decent people, but they never came back. "

The chairman of the Finance Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed that it is a personal tragedy for him. "If someone does not consider it a personal tragedy - something with him is wrong. Therefore, remembering the catastrophe that occurred on this date in our country, we must respond sharply, swiftly and decisively to any expression of anti-Semitism. "

The event was also attended by: Ukrainian National Assembly Speaker Rubshan Tagayev, Ukrainian Parliamentary Budget Committee Member Anatoly Joubert and Alexander Truhin. As well as the lane leader in Ukraine and Moldova Mr. Felix Gurevich, alongside Holocaust survivors, and other MPs. The event was signed by lighting candles in memory of those who perished and by Kaddish.