The names of 1,761 victims of Babyn Yar are revealed for the first time at ceremonies in the country and around the world.

The day of September 29, 2021, was marked by alarming events in Kyiv and Jerusalem, timed to the 84th anniversary of the Babi Yar tragedy. On this day, for the first time, the names of 1,761 Jews, whose fates had remained unknown until now, were announced. This important information became available thanks to a decree by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who ordered the opening of state archives.

Ceremony in Kyiv

In the outskirts of Kyiv, right at the site of the mass shootings, an official memorial ceremony took place. It was attended by President Zelensky and the leadership of Jewish communities in Ukraine. The event was organized by the Babi Yar associations and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU). It was during the ceremony that the new names of the victims were announced. Among the participants were prominent rabbis, such as Chief Rabbi Raphael Rothman, Moshe Asman, and Yaakov Bleich, who proclaimed the Jewish prayer “Kaddish.”

Significance of the Prayer

President Zelensky expressed gratitude to the rabbis for their prayers, which are a source of support for the Ukrainian people and soldiers on the front lines. As a token of appreciation, Rabbi Rothman presented the president with a copy of the Book of Psalms translated into Ukrainian.

Event in Jerusalem

Simultaneously, a memorial evening titled “Untold Stories” was held at the National Library of Jerusalem, organized jointly with the Center for Commemoration of Holocaust Victims in Babi Yar and the “March of Life” organization. The ceremony, attended by the Ukrainian ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, also highlighted the importance of revealing new names of victims as a symbol of ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of the Holocaust.

Reflection of Modern Conflicts

The ceremony in Jerusalem gained special significance against the backdrop of the war in Israel and Russian aggression in Ukraine. As part of the event, a panel discussion titled “Memory Under Attack” was held, discussing the issue of preserving historical memory in times of crisis.

Significance of Research

Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Center for Commemoration of Holocaust Victims in Babi Yar, noted the importance of researching events related to the Holocaust. He emphasized that “shelling” is a horrifying chapter in the dark history of Jewry in Europe and called for exploring this topic to pass on the information to future generations.

Duties of Librarians

Oren Weinberg, director of the National Library, added that the duty of this library is to preserve the memory of the past by exploring important moments in history. Babi Yar embodies the responsibility of memory keepers, who must ensure that human stories are heard and remembered.

The tragedy at Babi Yar, which occurred on the night of Yom Kippur 1941 (September 29-30), is one of the most significant acts of mass murder in the Holocaust, when nearly 34,000 Jews were killed in two days. Both events, in Kyiv and Jerusalem, demonstrated international and Jewish commitment to preserving the memory of Holocaust victims.