In the late 1800s, thousands of Jews living in the Russian Empire moved to Ukraine to escape persecution. This led to the formation of the Ukrainian Jewish communities, some of the richest centers of Jewish culture, politics, religion, literature and language in the world.
As antisemitism surged throughout Eastern Europe in the late 19th and 20th centuries in the form of violent pogroms during World War I and the Holocaust, the Ukrainian Jewish community did not escape this trauma. Prior to Ukraine’s defeat by the Red Army during WWI, more than 50,000 Jews were massacred under the rule of Semyon Petliura. Twenty years later, during the Holocaust close to 1 million Ukrainian Jews were murdered.
Despite the trauma and antisemitism experienced in Ukraine throughout the 20th century, Ukraine is now a relatively positive place for Jews to live. A study conducted by Pew Research reveals that Ukraine is among the countries with the least antisemitism in Europe. This has allowed Ukraine to emerge as an epicenter for Jews with around 30,000 Jews traveling there annually during the high holiday period to visit the grave of a prominent and influential Jewish figure.
Another testament to the thriving Jewish communities in Ukraine is that current president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish. In Zelenskyy’s political campaign his opponents did not use antisemitism against him, implying that antisemitism is not a typical, accepted aspect of Ukrainian society.
Prior to Russia invading Ukraine, Putin has made comments denying the existence of Ukraine and calling upon his troops to “de-Nazify” Ukraine. Putin appealed to the same nationalist claims that Hitler called upon, bringing up scars for the Jewish people in Ukraine. There is also fear that Putin’s comments may lead to an unleashing of antisemitism in Ukraine during the chaos of war as swastikas are already appearing in Odessa. The recent emergence of antisemitism creates a scary reality for Jews of Ukraine, many of whom are Holocaust survivors or families of survivors.
Ukraine is home to many Jews; surveys estimate that there are currently 43,000 Jews living in Ukraine, however, some estimates quadruple this number. Yet, these Jews have all faced trauma in Eastern Europe and are aware of how potentially devastating and dire the situation can become. The Jews that call Ukraine their home are left with a pressing choice, similar to the choice Ukrainian Jews had to make throughout the massacres in WWI and the Holocaust: do they stay in Ukraine, fighting and hoping for an improved situation, or do they flee, seeking refuge elsewhere?
Many Ukrainian Jews are staying out of loyalty to their country and communities. Jewish community leaders such as Rabbi Avraham Wolf of Odessa are taking the necessary precautions for war: hiring Israeli security guards, gathering a supply of unperishable food, mapping out bomb shelters, and developing an escape plan.
Others are fleeing, reminded of the past tragedies in Eastern Europe, leaving behind their entire lives.
As war erupts in Eastern Europe, the indelible scars and trauma faced by Ukrainian Jews have begun to resurface, facing them with options reminiscent of events past.