The first monument to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine was erected in Jerusalem – what is known?

In April 2025, in Jerusalem, at the Wohl Rose Garden (Wohl Rose Garden), located between the Knesset and the Supreme Court, the first memorial in Israel to the victims of the Ukrainian Holodomor of 1932-1933 was installed. This monument was the result of cooperation between the city of Jerusalem, The Temerty Foundation, The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel, HREC (Holodomor Research and Education Center), The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), and The Jerusalem Development Authority.

The Role of the Monument and Its Symbolism

The monument is designed as broken sacrificial millstones with a raised hand, symbolizing the suffering and resistance of the victims of the Holodomor. This symbolism also reflects the fact that many Ukrainians who survived this genocide were subjected to hunger and brutal repression, and their memory remains a vital part of Ukrainian history today.

The Author of the Monument: Lyudmyla Temertiy

The monument was created by Canadian artist of Ukrainian descent Lyudmyla Temertiy, who is the author of the first Holodomor monument installed in 1983 in Edmonton (Canada).

“The first-ever Holodomor memorial to the victims of 1932-1933 in Ukraine was opened on October 23, 1983, in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada). The monument was built in 1983 at the initiative of the Edmonton branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. The author is Lyudmyla Temertiy from Montreal, whose mother survived the Holodomor.

The monument is made in the form of a broken circle, symbolizing the intentionally broken life cycle (its resemblance to millstones is striking). Tired hands are raised in resistance, pleading for an end to the torture. The inscription on the monument is in English and French: “In eternal memory of the millions who died during the man-made famine-genocide caused by the Soviet regime in Moscow in 1932-1933. We stand guard against tyranny, violence, and inhumanity.”

Even before the monument was installed, the Soviet Embassy in Canada expressed its protest.”

Lyudmyla Temertiy, along with David Robinson, created the monument in Jerusalem, which features broken millstones with a raised hand, symbolizing the suffering and resistance of the victims of hunger and political repression.

Quote from Lesya Hasidzhak

Lesya Hasidzhak, director of the National Holodomor Genocide Museum (Ukraine), commented on the installation of the monument as follows:

“We as an institution are still clarifying the official details (when it was installed, whether there will be an official opening), but it seems that in Jerusalem, at the Wohl Rose Garden, between the Knesset and the Supreme Court, the first Holodomor monument has appeared in Israel.

This is the result of the cooperation of the city of Jerusalem, the Temerty Foundation, the Embassy of Ukraine, HREC, and the Jerusalem Development Authority.”

The author is Canadian artist of Ukrainian descent, Lyudmyla Temertiy (along with David Robinson, as indicated on the plaque), another monument by her, almost identical to the Jerusalem one, was installed 41 years ago in Edmonton, Canada.

I fully understand the organizational silence, as there are many Russians and vandals in Israel. But the significance of this event is immense, and gratitude to all involved is boundless.”

Unofficial Opening and Ceremony

The monument was installed (according to information from reliable sources) not in April, but earlier. However, according to the original plans, the official opening of the monument was supposed to coincide with a visit from high-ranking officials from Ukraine to Israel, including the potential visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

However, the visit of the President of Ukraine has not yet taken place for known and unknown reasons, and the information about the monument has not been officially disseminated, despite its significance and importance for both countries.

On April 17, 2025, the first person to report on the monument was volunteer Martin Danichev, who lives in Petah Tikva. He published photos of the monument on Facebook and wrote:

“I am pleasantly shocked. A monument to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 has been opened in Jerusalem.”

Danichev also noted that the monument was recently installed, in 2025, and added that “it’s hard to explain how important this is.”

This news became significant for the Ukrainian community and was quickly picked up by the media.

The official opening of the monument at the Wohl Rose Garden has not yet occurred, as the park itself is under reconstruction. The Ukrainian Cultural Center in Tel Aviv reported that the official opening of the monument will take place after the park work is completed. The date and time of the ceremony will be published on the pages of The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel and The Ukrainian Cultural Center in Tel Aviv. This important moment for the Ukrainian community in Israel and around the world is expected to be widely covered.

Symbolism of the Monument and Its Significance

The monument in Jerusalem is designed in the form of broken sacrificial millstones with a raised hand, on which there are five ears of wheat, symbolizing the suffering of millions of Ukrainians who became victims of the Holodomor. This monument symbolizes not only a historical tragedy but also the struggle for human rights, and the memory of victims of violence and cruelty.

Project of the Monument and Support

The project of the monument was supported by a number of organizations, including James Konstantin Temerty, a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He actively supports cultural and educational projects related to Ukraine. Other important participants in the project included HREC and The Jerusalem Development Authority, which played a key role in the organization and installation of the monument.

James Konstantin Temerty: Businessman and Philanthropist

James Konstantin Temerty is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist, founder of the company “Northland Power”. He actively supports projects in the fields of culture and history, including the installation of Holodomor monuments in different countries, such as Israel and Canada. James and Lyudmyla Temerty are siblings, and both actively support cultural initiatives aimed at preserving the memory of the tragedies of the Ukrainian people. James Temerty is also the founder of the project Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (UJE), which aims to promote understanding and cooperation between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples.

Lyudmyla Temerty: Artist and Activist

Lyudmyla Temerty, born in 1944 in Slovakia, is a renowned artist and activist of Ukrainian descent. She is the author of the first Holodomor monument, installed in 1983 in Edmonton, Canada. Her works are dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holodomor and other tragedies of the Ukrainian people. Lyudmyla is actively involved in public life, supporting Ukrainian culture and education.

Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Project

Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (UJE) is a project supported by James Temerty, aimed at fostering understanding between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples. The project includes educational initiatives, publications, and events dedicated to the shared historical heritage, including the Holocaust and the Holodomor. This project continues Temerty’s efforts to preserve historical memory and strengthen ties between the two peoples.

Israel’s Recognition of the Holodomor

Israel has not officially recognized the Holodomor of 1932–1933 in Ukraine as an act of genocide.

In 2008, the Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Zina Kalai-Klaytman, stated that Israel acknowledges the Holodomor as a great tragedy of the Ukrainian people but cannot recognize it as genocide because “the famine affected not only Ukrainians but also other nations.”

In 2016, a bill was presented in the Knesset to recognize the Holodomor as genocide, but it was not passed due to political difficulties and the delicacy of the issue in the context of relations with Russia.

In 2018, Member of Knesset Akran Khasson proposed a bill which also failed to gain support in parliament.

In 2019, during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky urged Israel to recognize the Holodomor as an act of genocide. However, Netanyahu did not publicly respond to this request, and Israel did not change its stance.

In 2021, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Ukraine and laid a wreath at the Holodomor memorial in Kyiv, but Israel still refrains from officially recognizing the tragedy as genocide.

In 2022, Israeli Ambassador to Kyiv Michael Brodsky stated that this was due to the fact that “there is no practice in Israel of recognizing or not recognizing national tragedies.”

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Since its founding, NAnews – News of Israel has actively covered topics related to Ukrainian-Israeli relations, significant cultural and historical events for the Ukrainian and Jewish communities. The issue of preserving historical memory, especially about tragedies such as the Holodomor, holds special significance for both communities. The installation of the monument in Jerusalem becomes not only an important moment in the history of Ukraine but also a key step in strengthening cultural ties between the two peoples.

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