Remembering Russia’s largest Holocaust Massacre

Rostov-On-Don, Russia –- A memorial ceremony took place near Rostov-on-Don to commemorate nearly 30,000 Jews and thousands of other victims murdered here 65 years ago in the biggest single atrocity of the Holocaust in Russia. The event occurred at the ‘Zmievskaya Balka’ Memorial near the village of Zmievka. Busloads of people made their way here via the same route taken by those who met their death here – the crowd holding the same constituency as those who perished here – young and old, Jews and non-Jews, from all walks of life.

Led by Chief Rabbi of Rostov-on-Don Chaim Friedman, the procession involved lay leaders from local Jewish communities, representatives of City and Regional Administrations, other leading figures and activists. Near the monument and the eternal flame, Rabbi Friedman opened the ceremony and said the Kaddish, followed by an Orthodox liturgy for others buried here, including prisoners of war and non-Jewish family members of Jews who met their fate here.

“The only thing we can do for those buried here is remember this horrific tragedy, when tens of thousands were wiped out in one day, and to pass their memory on to our children – so that the Holocaust may never again be repeated, not for any people,” expressed Yuri Rubinov, the Chairman of the Jewish community of Rostov-on-Don. Several participants underlined the critical need to prevent the spread of neo-Nazism in its early stages.

The event wrapped up with an award ceremony. On behalf of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, Rabbi Zeyev Wagner presented medals to two persons bestowed with the title “The Righteous of Nations” for risking their lives to save Jews during World War Two.