Memorial Plaque Honors Lubavitcher Rebbe's Father at Kyiv Prison After 86 Years

A historic memorial plaque was installed this week at the Lukyanivska detention center in Kyiv, Ukraine, where Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was imprisoned and tortured by the Soviet regime 86 years ago. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was arrested due to his rabbinical activities and steadfast commitment to Judaism. The initiative was led by Kyiv's Chief Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch and his son Ariel Markovitch, a Chabad emissary and Jewish prison services director in Ukraine, who secured approval from the prison administration after prolonged negotiations.

The plaque was unveiled during a formal ceremony inside the prison on the yahrzeit (anniversary of death) of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, the 26th of Av. The prison commander and his deputy expressed deep regret over the unjust persecution of the rabbi, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging this painful chapter in history. The plaque details Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's imprisonment and includes a quote from him about his harsh incarceration.

Additionally, the prison received a copy of "Nitzotzei Levi Yitzchak," a book compiling his teachings, which will be available to Jewish inmates. Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch highlighted the profound significance of dedicating the memorial on the rabbi's yahrzeit, calling it a historic rectification and a symbolic closure. He noted that where the Soviet regime once sought to silence Judaism, there now stands a site commemorating the rabbi's courage and devotion.