Zelensky backs appeal to recognize Sheptytsky as “Righteous among Nations”

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: Ukrinform

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky joined the petition of the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine, Moshe Reuven Azman, on recognizing the Metropolitan of the UGCC, Andrey Sheptytsky, as the "Righteous Among the Nations". The Ukrainian leader said this at a press conference in Poland, Ukrinform reports.

“I can’t help but recall the Sheptytsky family, which not only saved more than 160 Jews but openly demanded that the Nazi leaders stop their persecution,” Zelensky writes. Recently, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Reuven Azman, asked the "Yad Vashem" Center for Holocaust Remembrance to award Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky with the honorary title of Righteous Among the Nations. I sign on to this petition for the sake of historical justice.”

As reported by the UOJ, on January 21, 2020, Moshe Reuven Azman sent a petition to the head of the Directorate of the Israeli National Holocaust and Heroism Memorial "Yad Vashem" A. Shalev to recognize UGCC Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky as "The Righteous Among the Nations". Calling Sheptytsky “a giant of true humanism and one of the greatest Ukrainians of the 20th century”, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine emphasized that he considers it his duty to “raise his voice in defense of the great humanist and friend of the Jewish people.”

We will remind that the question of awarding the title of Righteous Among the Nations to Andrey Sheptytsky has been examined in Israel more than once, but the Commission rejected this proposal each time. In fact, on November 17, 2019, representatives of the UGCC made a request to "Yad Vashem" to recognize Sheptytsky as "Righteous Among the Nations" but their request was turned down.

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