In response to an apparent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the Ukraine in the wake of the recent political upheaval, Russian President Vladimir Putin and interim Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk have each vowed to protect Ukraine’s Jews. President Putin seems to believe the uptick in anti-Semitism is actually the result of ultra-right-wing and neo-nazi elements within Ukraine’s new government, an impression that Prime Minister Yatsenyuk does not share. In his meeting with Deputy President of the Rabbinical Council of Europe and the Rabbi of Ukraine, Rabbi Dov Bleich, the interim Prime Minister denounced the incidents of anti-Semitism and vowed to help the Jewish communities beef up their protection.
Critics of President Putin’s position claim that he is using anti-Semitism as a pretense to justify his recent blatant interferences in internal Ukrainian affairs including the occupation of Crimea. Critics will point to Putin’s citing the destruction of churches and synagogues as justification for his recent actions despite there being no record of such events occurring. Some within the Ukrainian community have gone as far as to claim that recent attacks on Jews have actually been orchestrated by pro-Russian groups to legitimize Russian intervention.
Historically, Jews were often victims of both Ukrainian and Russian anti-Semitism although the Ukrainian Jewish community has been steadily growing in the last few years. While some Jews in the Ukraine carry the memory of awful treatment of Jews under Soviet Russian rule and are therefore fearful of Russia’s recent interventions, others are aware of the potential risks posed to Jews by the political instability and the rise of anti-Semitic groups within the Ukraine itself.
(Noach B. Rosen – YWN)
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9 Responses
Both sides have large Jewish populations, and also significant anti-semitic elements in their political system, and most importantly, both sides have strong incentives not to alienate Jews elsewhere and to avoid being seen by the rest of the world as anti-semitic.
The Ukrainians were the Nazis right-hand men in liquidating the Jews.
Re Comment No. 1: Yes, you are Absolutely right, no one in the world dares to appear anti-Semitic because the rest of the world will not stand for anti-Semitism. Of course, I am still drunk from Purim. How about you?
And with friends like Putin, who needs enemies?
And the Russians did the same as the nazis
Now I’m REALLY worried!
Putin does protect Jews; but Obama says more and does less. It is the Ukraine that is not much either in word or deed.
Sadly, Putin is the better leader between him and Obamination.
Again Jews are in the middle of the problem.
By the way how are we going to uman this rosh hashanah!
Re Comment No. 8: I would make one slight change in your comment: Again Jews are [being dragged into] the middle of[, and blamed for,] the problem [that has nothing to do with them]. Jews should flee Ukraine like it’s 1933.