The Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre (UCRDC), in partnership with the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Initiative and the Judaica Institute in Kyiv Ukraine, is launching a new project on World War II in Ukraine. The goal of this project is to identify and recognize Ukrainians who took great personal risks in hiding or otherwise helping Jews to survive during the horrific years of World War II. Recognizing the actions of such individuals would make salient their personal heroism, but also the existence of positive interaction and relations between Christian and Jewish Ukrainians even during a period of deep crisis and pervasive violence.
This project was initiated by Leonid Finberg of the Judaica Institute in Kyiv, and has the support of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Initiative, a privately organized, multinational initiative whose goal is to deepen scholarly and broader public interest in the breadth, complexity and diversity of Ukrainian-Jewish relations, with a view to the future. Canadians, notably Mr. James Temerty, are playing an important role in the development and leadership of this initiative.
The Ukrainian Canadian Research & Documentation Centre (UCRDC), founded in 1983, is a non-profit, non-governmental community organization that collects, catalogues, and preserves material documenting Ukrainian history. UCRDC produces documentary films, prepares educational materials, and sponsors lectures, conferences and exhibits on various topics related to Ukrainian issues. The UCRDC functions as a resource centre which holds an archive, a library, oral histories (both in audio and video format), photographs, memoirs, and personal archives.
This new project will build on existing research and cases that have already been documented in Ukraine, at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, and at the Shoah Foundation in Los Angeles, but will also conduct research to identify cases not known or publicized to date. The UCRDC will focus on identifying and documenting cases that have a Canadian connection. The UCRDC appeals to the community to provide any information that might be helpful in identifying new cases – in particular, suggestions regarding people who should be interviewed with connection with their own experience or that of a family member. If can provide any information or would like more information about this project, please contact
Orest Zakydalsky, Researcher
Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre
620 Spadina Ave.
Toronto, ON
M5S 2H4
Email – orestzak@gmail.com
Tel: +1416-966-1819 (office), +1 647-887 0662 (cellphone)
Once a number of significant cases have been documented, the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Initiative, the Judaica Institute and the UCRDC will collaboratively organize events to raise awareness about these exceptional people and those saved by them.