Volodymyr Zelensky, the Jewish President of Ukraine, joined the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event in Babiy-Yar on Friday. His attendance at the event, organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU), marks the first time that Zelensky has participated in a Jewish event since the start of the war.
The event, which was attended by Rabbi Raphael Rotman, the President of the Federation, and Rabbis Moshe Reuven Azman and Yonasan Markowitz of Kyiv, was held in collaboration with the Babiy-Yar Holocaust Memorial Center and the Babiy-Yar National Historical-Memorial Center.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at Babiy-Yar is an annual commemoration of the tragedy that took place during World War II, when more than 33,000 Jews were murdered in just two days.
Zelensky participated in the prayer and lighting of candles ceremony, alongside ambassadors from Germany, the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Austria, the head of the European Union delegation to Ukraine and the head of the UN delegation to Ukraine.
Rabbi Rotman delivered the opening remarks, followed by President Zelensky and some of the ambassadors. After the speeches, the participants lit a special memorial candle and the ceremony ended with a special memorial prayer led by Rabbi Rotman.
