Eighty-five prominent Ukrainian Jews have called on the Israeli government and the Knesset to cancel additional procedures that make it difficult for Ukrainians, including those seeking asylum from the war, to enter. RBC-Ukraine has the text of the statement at its disposal.
Among the signatories are businessman Andrii Adamovsky, journalist Dmytro Gordon, co-president of VAAD of Ukraine Yosyp Zisels, doctor and TV presenter Yevhen Komarovsky, Garri Korogodsky, president of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin, media manager Yosyp Pintus, People's Deputy Mykhailo Radutsky, businessman Andrii Stavnitser, President of the FC Dynamo Kyiv Ihor Surkis and People’s Deputy Hryhorii Surkis, TV presenter Savik Shuster, as well as well-known Ukrainian rabbis, businessmen, politicians, cultural and scientific figures.
The signatories thanked Israel for voting at the UN for a resolution in support of Ukraine, public condemnation of Russia's aggression, humanitarian aid and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's efforts for a diplomatic settlement.
However, according to the letter, Israel has introduced additional procedures for Ukrainians, making it more difficult to enter the country, even for tourism and business purposes, as well as introduced quotas for refugees. These measures caused a wave of criticism in the Ukrainian society.
“For many years, Israel has been for Ukraine an example of resilience, heroism and selfless struggle for its freedom and independence. And today, when the whole of Ukraine has come to the defense of its independence, many citizens of Ukraine turn to us with astonishment and indignation regarding the above-mentioned decisions of Israel,” the letter reads.
The signatories also reminded the Israeli officials of the persecution of Jews during the Holocaust, when many countries refused to allow Jewish refugees. At the same time, Ukrainians saved Jews, and today there are about 2,700 such Righteous Ukrainians in Ukraine.
“We are convinced that in the situation of war, closing the door to Ukrainians, imposing quotas and other restrictions is extremely inhumane,” said prominent Ukrainian Jews, calling on the Israeli government to lift the restrictions.
So far, the letter has been signed by 85 people representing the cultural, scientific, political and business elite of Ukraine:
Andrii Adamovsky – a businessman and philanthropist
Moshe Azman – Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Chabad-Lubavitch
Kostiantyn Akinsha – a doctor of sciences, art critic, historian, and investigative journalist
Oleksandr Amirov – an entrepreneur
Alesia Batsman – a journalist and TV presenter
Mykhailo Beilin – a restaurateur
Boryslav Bereza – a People's Deputy of the 8th convocation
Mykhailo Berlin – Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Institute of Road Safety of Ukraine
Yaakov Dov Bleich – Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine
Matvii Vaisberg – artist, graphic artist, book designer
Olha Vasylevska-Smahliuk – a People's Deputy
Pavlo Vugelman – Deputy Mayor of Odessa
Arkadii Hartsman – a poet and screenwriter
Anatolii Hirshfeld – President of the Ukrainian Machine-Building Industrial Group
Shaya Gisser – born in Odessa, a rabbi of the Jewish Russian-speaking community in Jerusalem.
Illia Holland – Master of Sports, founder of “Object Service”.
Borys Goldenshtain – the founder and CEO of Zezman Holding
Roman Goldman – a supervisor and CEO of Tel Aviv's First Medical Center
Dmytro Gordon – a journalist and TV presenter
Yevhen Gorodetsky – founder, NGO “March Babyn Yar”
Maksym Hryhoriev – a businessman
Oleg Yeliseiev – General Director of the telecommunication company TENET, Member of the Board of the Telecommunication Chamber of Ukraine, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Sailing Federation
Vadym Yermolaiev – a businessman and investor
Andrii Zaika – President of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, Ukraine
Oleksandr Zaradovsky – a businessman
Yosyp Zisels – Co-President, VAAD of Ukraine
Oleksandr Zlotnyk – Rector of the R. Glier Kyiv Municipal Institute of Music
Faina Ioffe – Director, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
Anatolii Karminsky – Honored Builder of Ukraine
Anatolii Kesselman – General Director, Hesed Shaarei Zion Charitable Foundation
Viktoriia Kinzburska – People's Deputy
Dmytro Kozedubov – Member of the Supervisory Board, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
Yevhen Komarovsky – doctor of medical sciences, writer and TV presenter
Leonid Komsky – a gallery owner and the founder of the Dukat Auction House.
Gennady Korban – businessman, politician, philanthropist
Garri Korogodsky
Oleksandr Korotko – a poet
Volodymyr Kostelman – the majority shareholder of Fozzy Group
Hanna Kotliarevska – Member of the Supervisory Board, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
Rostyslav Levinson – President of the Kyiv City Jewish Community
Yevhen Lemberg – Chairman of the Board of the ARIKOL group of companies
Heorhii Logvinsky – People's Deputy of the 8th convocation
Boris Lozhkin – President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
Oleksandr Loifenfeld – a businessman and philanthropist
Oleksandr Lutsky – a businessman
Oleksandr Malin – Doctor of Economics, Professor of the National Polytechnic University
Jonathan Markovitch – Chief Rabbi of Kyiv Chabadf Or Avner
Oleksandr Melamud – a businessman and philanthropist
Yuchym Mets – an honored master of sports
Yuriy Morozov – a member of the JCU Supervisory Board
Vadym Morokhivskyi – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bank Vostok
Maksym Morokhivsky – General Director of City Rent Capital, co-founder of the NGO “Odessa Institute of Development”
Svitlana Nisilevich – Member of the Union of Theater Actors, President of the Guild of Entrepreneurs of Odessa
Valeriiy Pekar – a teacher
Oleksandr Pertsovsky – Member of the Management Board of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC
Yurii Pechersky – Representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine in Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Yosyp Pintus – a media manager
Volodymyr Pinchuk – Honored Builder of Ukraine, Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine.
Pavlo Pisnyi – a businessman
Anton Ptushkin – a blogger
Mykhailo Radutskyi – People's Deputy, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Health of the Nation, Medical Care and Medical Insurance
Vilen Remenik – the founder of the VIK-A company
Svitlana Roiz – a child psychologist
Dmytro Sandler – a businessman
Oleksandr Sokolovsky – the founder of the group of companies “Textile-Contact”
Andrii Stavnitser – a co-owner and CEO of TIS
Hryhorii Surkis – a People's Deputy
Ihor Surkis – President of Dynamo Kyiv football club
Oleksandr Suslensky – President of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Council
Kateryna Terletska – Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Mathematical Sciences, National Center Smaller Academy of Sciences
Hryhoriy Trypulsky – a lawyer, PhD in Law, member of the executive committee of the Odessa City Council
Serhiiy Fedorik – founder and partner of KEY Group
Oleksandr Feldman – People's Deputy
Mykhailo Frenkel – Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Observer
Borys Fuksmann – Founder of the Jewish Legal Group of Ukraine
Yevhen Chepurniak – People's Artist of Ukraine
Yevhen Cherniak – a businessman
Tertiana Shats – an art critic, general director of the cultural and educational project ORMAN
Hryhorii Shverk – a People's Deputy of the 8th convocation
Anatoliiy Shengait – the director of the Kyiv City Jewish Community
Vladyslav Shereshevsky – an artist
Volodymyr Shpilfogel – President of East-West Express company
Yuriy Shpirt – owner of the ARBER company
Savik Shuster – a TV presenter
Maksym Yakover – Member of the Supervisory Board of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center
