President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of Ukraine’s Jewish community honored the memory of the victims of the Babi Yar massacre on its 79th anniversary.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of Ukraine’s Jewish community honored the memory of the victims of the Babi Yar massacre on its 79th anniversary.
In attendance were government officials and Chabad shluchim, including Chairman of the Jewish Communities, Rabbi Meir Stambler. Vice-Chairman Rabbi Rafael Rutman, was honored with reading a chapter of Tehillim and reciting Kel Moleh Rachamim.
“Executed in Babyn Yar are thousands of destroyed human fates. Thousands of families that have been exterminated. Thousands of fearful children’s eyes that do not understand that they are being led to death. These are thousands of reminders to humanity of xenophobia, racism and intolerance. And thousands of pieces of evidence that, contrary to science, show that not all people have a heart,” the Ukrainian President said.
“We bow our heads to all the victims of Babyn Yar. And we have no right to forget these terrible crimes. Never again,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
More than 33,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis in Babi Yar on September 29-30, 1941, in the largest mass killing by the Nazi regime outside the concentration camp. In total, over 100,000 people were killed there – mass executions continued until the liberation of Kyiv.
