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World Jewish News
Veterans of Great Patriotic War Gain Official Holiday
10.05.2009
May 9 is an official holiday in Israel. Veterans living here asserted their right to celebrate Victory Day nine years ago.
Thanks to them, the street named after Hero of the Soviet Union Vulf Vilenskiy appeared in the country.
In October of 1944, Vilenskiy's battalion that found itself on the edge of German counter-offensive repealed 8 tank attacks on the Neman River. Already these days, retired captain Naum Orlov has been struggling for renaming of this street for two years.
The head of Rishon Le-Zion's Council of Veterans turned to different authorities and explained what Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel of the Red Army Vulf Vilenskiy had done for the Jewish state. Modern officials did not understand the old soldier. And then the Association of Russian Fellow Countrymen interfered.
Mikhail Rayf, the then deputy mayor, quarreled with the whole municipality. But nevertheless, the street was renamed.
May 9 has not been recognized as Victory Day in Israel a great while. History is taught here in a way similar to American schools, and namely, children know about Pearl Harbour or the Normandy Landings but heard little of Stalingrad, the Kursk Bulge, the heroic defense of Kiev and Kerch. But veterans struggled for their right to be recognized and won. In 2009, May 9 became an official public holiday.
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