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World Jewish News
Holocaust Mourning Rally In Melitopol Jewish Community
30.04.2009
The Jewish community of Melitopol held a mourning rally, dedicated to the Day of the Holocaust and Heroism of the Jewish people. This day was established in memory of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during the Second World War. As explained the head of cultural programs of the
Jewish community Svetlana Marshak, in Melitopol literally from the first days of occupation, the Nazis shot the Jews every day at the 12-kilometer ravine, which stretched from Konstantinovka to Voznesenki. After the liberation of the city, the ravine was excavated and 26 mounds were found with the remains of 12 thousand civilians, mostly Jews, destroyed by the fascists.
The Great Patriotic War, Michael Gorski, speaking before those gathered at the memorial, called this place a Melitopol Babiy Yar. Tamila Slavina lost seven family members between the ages of three to 53 in this ravine. The acting Chairman of the Jewish community Anna Statsenko, the Chairman of the Charitable Fund "Hesed Velvele" Vladimir Brustinov, a volunteer, and war and labor veteran Maia Zborowskaya said that the memory of the heart should not die, and that we must prevent the repetition of these terrible events. The city mayor Dmitry Sychev, chair of the Greek community Valentin Makropulo, representatives of the Armenian community, who the day before held the evening of memory of Armenians killed by Turkish barbarians, shared the grief of the Jewish people.
"The dead are hurt if they are forgotten." So was said at the mourning ceremony. In their memory, the candles were lit and young birch trees were planted. Afterwards, fresh flowers and stones were put at the Monument in accordance with the Jewish tradition: the living recieves the living, the dead are not forgotten.
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