Dr. Igor Shchupak lecture in Toronto casts new light on Ukrainian-Jewish relations

“They saved other people’s children risking their own” was the title of the lecture delivered by Dr. Igor Shchupak, Director of the “Tkuma” Ukrainian Institute for Holocaust Studies in Dnipro, Ukraine, that was attended by over eighty people at St. Vladimir Institute in Toronto on Thursday 20 September 2018.

Dr. Shchupak’s presentation about the 1,000 Ukrainian Righteous who were classified as Polish by Yad Vashem and the demographics of the Ukrainians that risked their and their family’s lives to save their Jewish neighbors revealed an important new light on historical Ukrainian-Jewish relations.

He also provided statistics comparing the different regions in Ukraine and the numbers that risked their lives. The key question of “Why did they do this?” is being researched by Dr. Shchupak. There is no one main reason. What is known is that their bravery should not go unrecognized.

The lecture was sponsored by The Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (UJE), Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Centre (UCRDC), Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS – Toronto Office), and St. Vladimir Institute.

Text and photos: Raya Shadursky

NOTE: UJE does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in articles and other materials published on its website and social media pages. Such materials are posted to promote discussion related to Ukrainian-Jewish interactions and relations. The website and social media pages will be places of information that reflect varied viewpoints.