Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Press Release

UKRAINIAN JEWISH ENCOUNTER

For Immediate Release

Honouring Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky and his Legacy: A Success Story.

The visit’s main purposes were surpassed:
*   to honour the role played by Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky in sheltering/saving Jews, children particularly, during the German occupation of Ukraine during WWII;
*   to demonstrate that leaders of both Jewish and non-Jewish communities (in Ukraine and the Diaspora) can come together to acknowledge compassionate and ethical behaviour by Ukrainian actors in times and conditions which encouraged and enabled the narrowest parochial and ethnic focus; and
*   to advance the evolution of the UCCRO — a unique organization – as an important civil society force in Ukraine advocating pluralism, religious and political freedom, and inter-ethnic harmony.

Activities brought together members of UCCRO and local Ukrainian and Jewish communities in both Canada andUSA. From a welcome dinner in Toronto, a historic Canadian Parliamentary welcome in Ottawa and unanimous proclamation in Parliament recognizing Metropolitan Sheptytsky as an “enduring example of commitment to fundamental human rights as humankind’s highest obligation”; meetings at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and government officials in Washington and major Ukrainian and Jewish community leaders in New York, brought greater awareness of the selfless work that Metropolitan Sheptytsky accomplished in saving the lives of Jews in Ukraine during WWII.

Patriarch Filaret spoke positively everywhere he was welcomed, “we can belong to many cultures and faiths but we need to be the seeds of hope and good. We show this by our {UCCRO}own example in the work we do and will do in Ukraine.”

After electing, in Canada, Patriarch Sviatoslav as head of UCCRO, all representatives were energized to continue work for the future well being of Ukraine. As one cleric stated “not too many people know the history of Ukrainians and Jews in Ukraine, these meetings brought acceptance and opened many eyes to its history”. These meetings with all the groups created a need “to return to Ukraine’s original harmony among all peoples”.

Metropolitan Sheptytsky’s example has infiltrated all of the participants of this journey. The Chair of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter, James Temerty stated “This is one of the most significant projects of UJE that has assisted in the revitalization of the UCCRO as one of most important NGO’s in Ukraine, to direct the country to a positive future. Their visit to Canada and the USA has helped build awareness and understanding between the two peoples that inhabited and built Ukraine, Ukrainian Christians and Jews”.

Dr. Leon Chamedies clearly expressed his gratitude to Metropolitan Sheptytsky who saved him when he was a seven year old boy, in fact saved the lives of his children, grandchildren and future generations and worlds.

For more information please contact:

Raya Shadursky, Director of Operations at 905-891-0242 or rshadursky@rogers.com