Last Righteous Among Nations Resident in Israel Dies at 91
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Yaroslava Levitska, the last Righteous Among the Nations residing in Israel, has died in Haifa at age 91. She was recognized for risking her life as a child during the Holocaust to deliver food and medicine to Jews in the Zolochev ghetto. Levitska immigrated to Israel in 1995 and was honored by students and the city of Haifa for her wartime actions and humanitarian spirit. Her nephew and the Mayor of Haifa mourned her passing, emphasizing her legacy of courage and kindness.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yaroslava Levitska, the last Righteous Among the Nations in Israel, died in Haifa at 91.
- She risked her life as a child during the Holocaust to deliver food to Jews.
- Levitska and her family were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations in 1989.
- She immigrated to Israel in 1995 and settled in Haifa.
- Students and Haifa's mayor honored her legacy of courage and kindness.
Yaroslava Levitska, the last known Righteous Among the Nations who lived in Israel, passed away in Haifa at the age of 91, two months before her 92nd birthday. Born in Poland in 1935, Levitska, even as a six-year-old, aided her grandfather in rescuing Jews during the Holocaust by delivering food and medicine, acting as his messenger. She successfully navigated German and Ukrainian guards to deliver supplies to the ghetto in Zolochev after it was established in December 1942, continuing her efforts until the community's liquidation in April 1943. Her family also provided sustenance to 25 Jews hiding in a ruined house.
Levitska recalled her motivation, stating, "It was important for me to bring food to the children there." She would carry bread and potatoes in her school bag, sometimes taking candies on her return and giving clothes to a Jewish friend before she entered the ghetto. She expressed no fear, driven by the need to help her hungry Jewish friends.
In 1989, Levitska, her mother Katarzyna, and her grandfather were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. She immigrated to Israel in 1995, became an Israeli citizen, and settled in Haifa. Her life story is documented in Miah Klinger-Cohen's book "Only Red Candies."
In January, students from Basmat School in Haifa celebrated her 91st birthday at the "Golden Age" assisted living center, presenting her with greetings, songs, flowers, and a cake. Levitska expressed gratitude for the ongoing gesture, which marked the fourth consecutive year, and wished for peace.
The event was part of Haifa's Municipal Holocaust Study Institute's initiative to commemorate Righteous Among the Nations and preserve Holocaust memory, in collaboration with Rotary Club Moriah-Haifa and Basmat School. The city of Haifa has a garden dedicated to the memory of Righteous Among the Nations and is the burial place for 11 such individuals at the Latin Cemetery.
Her nephew, Nikolai Sudarenko, expressed deep sorrow, noting her love for life in Israel and the care she received. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav eulogized Levitska as a symbol of courage, humanity, and kindness, highlighting her childhood bravery in saving Jews during the Holocaust and emphasizing her moral legacy. He pledged that Haifa would continue to honor her story, especially among youth.
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