{"id":11861,"date":"2018-10-02T21:59:40","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T21:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ukrainianjewishencounter.org\/?p=11861"},"modified":"2018-10-02T22:04:30","modified_gmt":"2018-10-02T22:04:30","slug":"the-honorable-ronald-s-lauder-receives-sheptytsky-award-at-ceremony-in-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ukrainianjewishencounter.org\/en\/the-honorable-ronald-s-lauder-receives-sheptytsky-award-at-ceremony-in-new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"The Honorable Ronald S. Lauder receives Sheptytsky Award at ceremony in New York"},"content":{"rendered":"
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James C. Temerty, Board Chairman, Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (left); Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress (middle); Borys Lozhkin, President, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine (right).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Honorable Ronald S. Lauder,<\/a> philanthropist, activist and president of the World Jewish Congress<\/a> received the Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky Award<\/a> for 2018 at a ceremony at New York\u2019s Ukrainian Institute of America on 27 September.<\/p>\n

Amb. Lauder was recognized for his support of Ukraine\u2019s Jewish community and his promotion of Ukrainian-Jewish cooperation.\u00a0He is the fourth recipient of the award, which is conferred by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.<\/p>\n

In presenting the award, UJE Board Chairman James C. Temerty<\/a> called Amb. Lauder, \u201ca great leader of the global Jewish community and a friend of Ukraine and of the Jewish community in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borys Lozhkin<\/a>, JCU\u2019s president said it was appropriate the award was presented during Sukkot, an important Jewish holiday of celebration.<\/p>\n

\"Thanks to Ambassador Lauder's philanthropy and commitment, our community is now coming from a place of strength,\u201d he said. \u201cAmbassador Lauder's deeds have helped bring the entire Ukrainian Jewish community together through the establishment of Jewish educational institutions such as the Ronald Lauder Camp Shuva, Jewish Day Schools and kindergartens in Ukraine, as well as a modern security system to protect the Jewish community.\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Leon Chameides<\/a>, who survived the Holocaust because of Metropolitan Sheptytsky\u2019s efforts, said it was appropriate that Amb. Lauder received the award as the two men shared three characteristics: a deep and abiding faith, evidence of courageous independence and the saving of Jews.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am here with you only because Metropolitan Sheptytsky and the brothers of the Studite Order had the conviction and the moral courage to answer the Biblical question \u2018Am I my brother\u2019s keeper?\u2019 in the affirmative,\u201d Dr. Chameides said. \u201cTheirs was a lonely beam of light on an otherwise dark and bleak horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Lauder noted he was humbled in receiving the medal, and paid homage to the Metropolitan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes this award special is that is it named after Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church during World War II. The Archbishop had to strike an unusual balance to deal with Nazis who occupied his country, and to save Jewish lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

In saving 150 Jewish lives, the Metropolitan \u201csaved 150 worlds\u201d, Amb. Lauder said, referring to the Jewish precept \"Whoever Saves a Life Saves the World\".<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough I may have educated many thousands Jewish children, I don\u2019t know if I saved one Jewish life,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the fact is, this man had courage, unbelievable courage at a time when so few people had that courage and so few people raised up, particularly in the religious world, and this man deserves all the credit.\u00a0 And my only sadness is that his name is not better known. I do believe much more should be written about him, spoken about him. He deserves everything we can give.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must remember the Jewish people have been tied to Ukraine for over a thousand years,\u201d Amb. Lauder said.\u00a0 Although the relationship between Ukrainians and Jews has not always been positive, he credited Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko for insisting that antisemitism would not be tolerated in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor that we are very grateful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He noted everything needed to be done to bring the Ukrainian and Jewish people together and welcomed UJE\u2019s efforts in that direction.<\/p>\n

In his remarks Mr. Temerty said that \u201calthough there are persistent antisemitic acts in Ukraine, as is the case in most nations, I\u2019m happy to note that the predominant tenor of Ukrainian-Jewish relations there and in the diaspora is one of mutual respect and regard. To strengthen this process, we must both honestly address the past and build a future together focused on cooperation and rooted in the fact that a huge proportion of Israelis and the Jewish diaspora can trace their roots to the territory of Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amb. Lauder is the fourth winner of the Sheptytsky Award.\u00a0In 2016, the recipient was Ukrainian writer and former Soviet dissident Ivan Dziuba<\/a>, recognized for his decades-long commitment to human rights, speaking out against xenophobia and antisemitism and working for national reconciliation.<\/p>\n

In 2014, the award was presented to Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk<\/a> for his work in fostering Ukrainian-Jewish relations and advancing his homeland\u2019s European aspirations.\u00a0A year earlier, the award was given by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine to James C. \u00a0Temerty, Canadian-Ukrainian businessman, philanthropist, and founder of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.<\/p>\n

The Ukrainian Jewish Encounter has dedicated significant efforts to advance international recognition of the legacy of the legendary Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Leader Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky, one of the towering Ukrainian leaders of the twentieth century.<\/p>\n

UJE\u2019s efforts were advanced when the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine created the Andrei Sheptytsky Medal. The award was established for contributions to the cause of Ukrainian-Jewish understanding and cooperation and is awarded to people who have dedicated themselves to fostering relations between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples.<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Sheptytsky is a model worthy of celebration and emulation, providing a basis for building trust and bridges between communities.<\/p>\n

Born in 1865 to a prominent aristocratic family, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death in 1944. During World War II, he helped save more than the 150 Jewish lives. The Metropolitan sheltered Jews in his own residence at great personal risk and arranged for Church monasteries to protect well over one hundred Jewish children. Not one of them was betrayed or lost.<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Sheptytsky also publicly protested against Nazi Germany\u2019s murderous policies towards Jews, alerted Pope Pius XII in personal reports about the mass murders taking place, and issued the pastoral letter Thou Shalt Not Kill<\/em> in November 1942, urging his parishioners not to participate in Nazi atrocities.<\/p>\n

Throughout his life, the Metropolitan was dedicated to preserving Ukraine\u2019s cultural heritage. He collected icons and objects of art, and as a patron of the arts and philanthropist, supported many prominent Ukrainian artists. Today, his collection is the basis of the Andrei Sheptytsky National Museum in Lviv<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Presentation of the 2018 Sheptytsky Award to The Honorable Ronald S. Lauder by the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter and the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, Ukrainian Institute, New York City, 27 September 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n