- December 4, 2025
- 7:17 pm
- Israel
December 3, 2025 in the capital of Israel – Jerusalem, in one of the most recognizable public spaces — the Wohl Rose Garden, the first monument in Israel to the victims of the Holodomor was officially opened. The event marked a significant step towards international recognition of the 1932–1933 tragedy and an important element in strengthening ties between Ukraine and the State of Israel.
The monument itself was known as early as April 2025, (according to authoritative sources), and according to initial plans, the official opening of the monument was to coincide with a visit by a high-ranking Ukrainian official to Israel, including a possible visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (but it did not take place).
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We wrote about this in detail – In Jerusalem, the first monument to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine was installed — what is known?
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Also – The history of Israel’s recognition of the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine as a genocide of the Ukrainian people — (2007 — 2025 — ?)
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Ceremony in the heart of Jerusalem
The initiative to install the monument was implemented by order of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and with the participation of several structures that have been promoting the topic of the Holodomor in the international humanitarian and educational space in recent years. The monument is installed in the central part of the city, in a place where state and diplomatic events are held annually — in the Wohl Rose Garden, near the government quarter.
The opening ceremony was attended by a Ukrainian government delegation visiting Israel on an official visit, headed by Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka. The delegation also includes Iryna Mudra, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
The event was attended by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Israel Yevhen Korniychuk and staff of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel.
On the Israeli side, representatives of the Jerusalem Municipality, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, members of the Knesset, ambassadors of foreign states, the public, and representatives of the Ukrainian community in Israel participated.
The organization Israeli Friends of Ukraine noted:
“Today is a historic event, as the first monument to the victims of the Holodomor is installed in Israel.”
In addition, the ceremony was attended by Yuli Edelstein, one of the most influential politicians in Israel, and Natan Sharansky, a well-known human rights activist and one of the most recognizable leaders in the struggle for the rights of Soviet Jews.
The organization Israeli Friends of Ukraine, present at the site, emphasized:
“This is truly an important day for the recognition of Ukrainian history in Israel. Support in the heart of Jerusalem!”
Initiators, partners, and support
The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel reported that the project was the result of cooperation between several structures and organizations. The initiative was supported by:
- The Temerty Foundation,
- The Jerusalem Municipality,
- The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel,
- The Holodomor Research and Education Consortium,
- The Ukrainian World Congress.
Thus, the opening of the monument became not only a diplomatic step but also the result of long-term joint work by Ukrainian, Israeli, and diaspora organizations that contributed to promoting the topic of the Holodomor at the international level, especially in countries where the topic of genocides has significant public importance.
Artistic concept of the monument
The monument was created by artists Ludmila Temerty and David Robinson. Official reports explain the symbolism of the monument in detail:
- an uplifted hand rising before a broken millstone symbolizes the weight of memory and at the same time — hope for renewal and healing;
- five stalks of grain in the hand — a direct reminder of the brutal law of the Stalinist regime: during the Holodomor, people were sentenced to death for storing even a minimal amount of grain.
This makes the monument not just a memorial object but a visual lesson in history, speaking of tragedy through simple yet powerful symbolism. The broken millstone — the destroyed foundation of life; the uplifted hand — an attempt to stop the catastrophe and the voice of those who survived to remember; five stalks — a sign of the criminal policy aimed at destroying the Ukrainian people through artificial famine.
Quotes and speeches: emphasis on solidarity
The ceremony was addressed by the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, who in his speech emphasized both the importance of the event and the significance of the place where the monument is installed. His words conveyed respect for Israel and gratitude for supporting Ukraine:
“I have the honor to participate in the opening of the monument to the victims of the Holodomor of 1932–1933, installed in the very center of the holy city of Jerusalem.”
He also noted the presence of representatives from Ukraine:
“Together with Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka, Iryna Mudra, and Ambassador Yevhen Korniychuk, we commemorated the memory of millions of innocently killed Ukrainians, starved by the criminal Soviet regime.”
In the concluding part of his speech, the rabbi emphasized the spiritual significance of the moment:
“I thanked the people of Israel for their solidarity and understanding of the pain of Ukrainians. Being in the heart of Israel, in the unchanging capital of my people — Jerusalem, I offered a prayer for the souls of the deceased and for a just peace.”
These words underscore the main point: the opening of the monument is not only a diplomatic event but also a gesture of deep human and spiritual connection between the two peoples.
Historical significance for Ukraine and Israel
The installation of the Holodomor monument in Jerusalem has several important levels of significance.
1. International recognition of the tragedy
A monument in the capital of Israel — a country where the memory of the Holocaust, pain, and genocidal crimes is especially significant — is a powerful step towards recognizing the Holodomor as a crime of the totalitarian regime.
2. Strengthening ties between countries
In recent years, Ukraine and Israel have been actively interacting in humanitarian, cultural, and socio-political spheres. The opening of the monument strengthens these ties, emphasizing solidarity and mutual respect.
3. Support for the Ukrainian community in Israel
For Ukrainians living in Israel and Israelis of Ukrainian origin, this event became a symbol that their history, the pain of their relatives, and the memory of the victims of the Holodomor have been recognized in a country where the value of human life and historical memory is always paramount.
4. Educational significance
The monument is installed in an open public space. This means that thousands of people — residents of Jerusalem, tourists, schoolchildren, official delegations — will encounter this topic, ask questions, and learn about the Holodomor.
An event that will go down in history
The opening of the monument to the victims of the Holodomor in Jerusalem is not a one-time event but an important element of collective memory, fixed in the city’s space. It will become part of the historical landscape of Jerusalem and a new symbol of communication between Ukraine and Israel on the level of historical truth and human experience.
What is the Holodomor: a reference for Israeli readers
The Holodomor is a mass artificial famine orchestrated by the communist Soviet regime on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR in 1932–1933. In international historical discourse, it is considered one of the largest crimes of the totalitarian era of the 20th century, directed against the civilian population.
Main facts and key dates
Period of the tragedy
- Spring 1932 – Summer 1933, peak mortality — winter 1932–1933.
Number of victims
Historians provide different estimates, as the USSR archives were classified for many years.
Today, the most common figures are:
- from 3 to 4.5 million dead — minimum according to demographic data;
- up to 7 million — according to several research centers in Ukraine and the diaspora;
- some international experts indicate a range of 7–10 million, including indirect losses.
These figures are comparable in scale to the largest humanitarian catastrophes of the 20th century.
Why the famine was artificial
Historians emphasize that the famine was not the result of a natural crop failure.
Factors:
- forced collectivization;
- confiscation of grain by the state in volumes that made survival impossible;
- blockade of Ukrainian villages (“black boards”), travel ban;
- criminal penalties for storing crops — up to the death penalty.
“Law of Five Ears of Grain”
A symbol mentioned in the monument in Jerusalem.
According to the decree of August 7, 1932, for appropriation or storage of even a few grains (“five ears of grain”), a person could be given:
- 10 years in camps,
- or execution.
This policy effectively turned ordinary survival into a criminal offense.
International recognition
To date, the Holodomor has been recognized as a genocide of the Ukrainian people by several states, parliaments, and organizations.
Israel has not officially given a separate legal definition, but memorial ceremonies, educational initiatives, and the installation of the monument in Jerusalem testify to the importance of the topic for public dialogue.
Why the history of the Holodomor is important for Israeli readers
Historical parallelism
Israeli society is deeply sensitive to:
- the theme of mass destruction of people,
- crimes of totalitarian regimes,
- preservation of memory about genocides.
Therefore, the Holodomor is considered by many researchers as a tragedy requiring international reflection.
Common language of memory
The Ukrainian experience of the Holodomor and the Jewish experience of the Holocaust are different in nature and scale, but important as examples of:
- destruction of human life by a political regime,
- attempts to erase national culture,
- the need to document crimes in a historically truthful form.
The monument in Jerusalem — a gesture of respect
The placement of the monument in Jerusalem emphasizes that the topic of the Holodomor is becoming part of a broader global conversation about the tragedies of the 20th century and the responsibility for their memory.
For NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, this event became one of the key examples of how historical memory connects nations and becomes the basis for mutual respect and solidarity.
