President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree appointing state pensions for Ukrainians who saved Jews during World War II.
This was stated by the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak at the opening ceremony of the symbolic synagogue a place for reflection in Babi Yar FaceNews.ua reports.
"Yesterday, he (the president - Ed.) signed a decree that establishes a permanent state scholarship for the Righteous, for Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Holocaust of World War II," Yermak said.
Yermak reminded about the Ukrainians who received this title from the Yad Vashem Center.
"This proves that Ukraine is a land of tolerant, peaceful and kind people," Yermak added.
According to him, now in Ukraine for the authorities "the church, mosque, synagogue, the church is a place of faith, hope and love, and in no case an instrument of political struggle." He also assured that the state will do everything possible to make the Babi Yar memorial "grandiose, become one of the largest museums, a place of memory in the world."
Note that on May 14, 2021, Ukraine celebrated for the first time the day of remembrance of Ukrainians who saved Jews during World War II.
As of January 1, 2020, 2,659 Ukrainian citizens were awarded the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Israel for saving Jews from the Holocaust.
The first Ukrainian to receive this title was Maria Babych, who saved a Jewish girl, Irit Osipova, in occupied Rivne. After the war, Babych became a member of the Osipov family and went to Israel with them. The title of Righteous Among the Nations was awarded to her on May 1, 1962.
The most famous Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Holocaust are UGCC priest Omelyan Kovch and Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, who have not yet been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
The title of Righteous of the world is held by Klimenty Sheptytsky.
As RISU wrote, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine asks Yad Vashem to recognize Andrey Sheptytsky as a "Righteous Among the Nations".