- September 7, 2024
- 11:24 pm
- Ukraine
UJE in its material tells about the difficulties faced by the families of the Righteous Among the Nations in Kyiv, who are forced to survive in the conditions of war. Kyiv is one of the largest cities in Europe, and its residents have been living under constant shelling by Russian missiles, including ballistic missiles, and kamikaze drones for more than 2 years.
“Rockets are hitting homes with civilians, destroying infrastructure, which leads to regular power outages,” UJE reports.
UJE also emphasizes that in July 2024, the situation worsened due to heat and prolonged power outages, which lasted up to eight hours a day, making it very difficult to plan daily activities. The war brought thousands of refugees from the occupied territories and frontline zones to Kyiv, making living conditions even more difficult.
Among the multi-million population of Kyiv, there are more than 10 families of the Righteous Among the Nations, who, despite numerous invitations, refused to leave the capital and go to the EU. “The Righteous protected innocent souls, risking their lives for the Jews during the Shoah,” UJE reminds.
According to UJE, the Day of Ukrainians Who Saved Jews During World War II is celebrated in Ukraine for the third year in May. On this day, events are held across the country to remember the families of the Righteous. Roza Tapanova, director of the Babyn Yar Reserve, notes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended one of these ceremonies, which included children and relatives of the Kyiv Righteous Among the Nations.
One of the key topics raised by UJE is the impact of constant military shelling on the civilian population of Kyiv. Residential areas, hospitals, institutes and residential buildings are regularly attacked with missiles and kamikaze drones. The Babyn Yar Reserve has organized an exhibition dedicated to the stories of the Righteous Among the Nations to remind people of those who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II. As Roza Tapanova, the director of the reserve, said: “These stories on the alley inspire young people and give them the strength to continue fighting this war.”
Yulia Goldenberg, founder of the charity foundation “For You,” also tells UJE about the plight of the Righteous families in the war. She notes that despite the difficult situation, these people continue to live in Kyiv and steadfastly endure the hardships of war, such as the destruction of infrastructure and power outages, which are especially hard on elderly residents.
UJE pays special attention to the story of Vasily Nazarenko. His family saved Jewish women in 1941, risking their own lives, for which they received the honorary title of Righteous Among the Nations from Yad Vashem in 1995. Today, Vasily Nazarenko continues to care for his wife Lidiya, whose family also helped Jews during the war, although they did not apply for recognition at Yad Vashem. Nazarenko shares his experiences: “I ask the Lord for this war to finally end,” he says in an interview with UJE, describing the difficulties that the families of the Righteous Among the Nations face in the face of constant danger and humanitarian problems.
UJE tells the story of Righteous Among the Nations Oksana Deineko, who lives with her family amidst the ongoing war. Her grandson works in a hospital, saving wounded soldiers, while Oksana herself is unaware of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, as her children prefer not to tell her about it so as not to worry her.
The Deineko family found themselves in a difficult situation and asked for help in purchasing an electricity system, which costs more than $1,000. UJE hopes that among its readers there are people willing to support this heroic family.
UJE tells about who supports the families of the Righteous Among the Nations today. Israel and Germany provide direct assistance to living Righteous. They are also supported by the charity organization “Hesed”, and Jewish communities and other associations periodically invite the Righteous to events in their honor.
However, as UJE notes, after the death of the Righteous Among the Nations, the main assistance often ceases. The children of the Righteous Among the Nations are usually already elderly and receive small pensions, so they also need support. Almost 60 families of widows, children and grandchildren of the Righteous Among the Nations are supported by the volunteer initiative “Word of the Righteous”. Among them, more than 10 families live in Kyiv. These are the descendants of such Righteous Among the Nations as Valentina Poloz, Lyudmila Zavorotnyaya, Alexey and Tatyana Glagoleva, the Belostotsky family, Sofia Yarovaya, Ekaterina Kobets, Ekaterina Makarevich, Alexandra Shulezhko, Nina Gudkova, Alexandra Egorycheva, Vasily Mikhailovsky and Elena Malova-Zavadskaya.
UJE tells about how the families of the Righteous Among the Nations are experiencing the current difficulties. Everyone suffers from shelling and lack of electricity, and their grandchildren often work, actively helping the Ukrainian Armed Forces and those in need. However, as UJE emphasizes, the children of the Righteous are elderly people who are often ill and need constant treatment. Thus, in May 2024 alone, the “Word of the Righteous” project helped pay for three operations for the children of the Righteous.
Many relatives of the Righteous receive small pensions and need support. UJE mentions that such well-known personalities as journalist Vitaly Portnikov and dissident Josef Zissels, as well as businessmen and bankers such as Roman Shpek and Kirill Shevchenko, provide assistance through the “Word of the Righteous”.
Additional support for the families of the Righteous is provided by the Zaradi Tebe Foundation of Yulia Goldenberg. As Yulia herself says, they help not only the Righteous, but also other needy groups, including displaced persons and the elderly. The foundation provides food, medicine, energy independence funds and medical equipment. She notes: “Unfortunately, the number of those in need is growing, so any donation will be helpful.”
UJE also talks about the charity foundation “Juice”, which has been supporting the Righteous Among the Nations since 2012. The founder of the foundation, Liliya Vendreva, notes that their assistance is aimed not only at recognizing the heroism of the Righteous, but also at their real well-being. As UJE emphasizes, in these difficult circumstances, assistance to the Righteous Among the Nations is especially important, because their stories remind us of the importance of humanity and compassion.
Since 2022, organizations Remember Us and Be the Light, as well as Jewish and Christian communities, have also joined in helping.
Sofia Melnichuk, the daughter of the Righteous Among the Nations Ekaterina Melnichuk, who saved the Jewish girl Fanya Pikman, also remains in the capital.
“I will tell the young to be strong, to hold on, to defend the Motherland. I also gave money to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the church to support donations. I am an elderly woman and cannot go to the front myself, but I gave money through the church. I gave a drop, but everything needs to be calculated – both utilities and medicines. I think we need to give money every month to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” says Sofya.
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