One of Russia's chief rabbis on Sunday spurned an honor from the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod, formerly Ungvar, who has publicly made anti-Semitic statements.
Rabbi Berel Lazar, who is one of two claimants to the title of Russia's chief rabbi, refused the honor from Mayor Serhiy Ratushnyak at a reception given by the Jewish community after a memorial ceremony for a mass grave of murdered Jews from the Holocaust, which was discovered in the city.
Russian Chief Rabbi Rejects Medal from Anti-Semitic Mayor
One of Russia’s chief rabbis on Sunday spurned an honor from the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod, formerly Ungvar, who has publicly made anti-Semitic statements.
Rabbi Berel Lazar, who is one of two claimants to the title of Russia’s chief rabbi, refused the honor from Mayor Serhiy Ratushnyak at a reception given by the Jewish community after a memorial ceremony for a mass grave of murdered Jews from the Holocaust, which was discovered in the city.
Near the end of the event, a representative of Ratushnyak attempted to award Lazar with a medal of honor, but Lazar refused to accept the medal due to “anti-Semitic remarks by the mayor.” People in attendance described the actions of the rabbi – who represents Chabad in Russia and is a member of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe – as “abject.”
Lazar told the messenger the medal should remain in the city until the mayor apologizes for his anti-Semitic remarks. Witnesses said some of the people in the crowd cheered in response to this.
Mayor Ratushnyak called an opponent “an impudent little Jew” in a recent election campaign. The Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying “I don’t like Jews” in an interview. He was purposely not invited to the event, held near a mass grave of over 200 Jews who were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Uzhhorod is known for its Jewish heritage, and had a Jewish population of 15,000 prior to the Holocaust, very few of whom survived.
leah
yisher koch
that how a proud jew should act
Zerach Perez
BH
Thank G-d there are leaders who believe in the dignity of the Jewish People.
shke
KOL HAKAVOD
Vladimr Lazar
He is shaking hands with a man who sells weapons to Iran. A small time anti-Semite is nothing compared to someone who threatens the very life of every Jew in Eretz Yisroel.
resident
We should take note of this & refuse to kow-tow to political pressure here in Crown Heights. We too should tell our elected officials who do nothing for us except show up for photo shoots in a Sukkah to take a hike. When Jews are regularly attacked by Goyim here in the Rebbe’s Schechunah, these politicians do & say nothing. Ergo, THEIR tacit approval of these attacks is noticeable.
We are only 1 attack away from another riot, chas v’sholom. Remember that at the polls!
your sister
we are very proud of you!!!!!!
Mendel
That’s how a yid, especially a shliach should act!!!
Who’s the other claimant for the chief Rabbi of Russia?