A SENIOR rabbi who is a descendant of four Holocaust survivors has called on Jewish people to flee Ukraine “before it is too late”.
A pro-Russia soldier at the checkpoint near Slavyansk, in eastern Ukraine [GETTY]His ominous warning came after a hooded thug was filmed on CCTV attacking a synagogue in the south of the country with two home-made petrol bombs.
Concern is mounting that the continuing stand-off between Russia and the Ukraine government in Kiev is fostering a menacing rise in Nazi-style extremism.
Rabbi Royi Shaffin published his call in an open letter to the Government of Israel and the leadership of the US Jewish community asking that Israel offers to take in those who choose to escape.
A blogger for the English language Times of Israel website, the US-based Rabbi describes himself as “the grandson of four Holocaust survivors” – two of whom were from Russia and Ukraine.
He referred to a leaflet which was distributed in Russian-dominated Donetsk in eastern Ukraine last week telling Jewish people over 16 they should register with authorities or face deportation and compared it to notices posted in 1941 during the Nazi occupation.
A thug captured on CCTV throwing a petrol bomb at a synagogue in Nikolyaev [NC]We cannot wait and see what happens. That is exactly what many Jews in Europe did before the Holocaust. By the time they were ready to flee for their lives, the borders were closed and it was impossible to get out
The Donetsk leaflets were on an official letterhead with the symbols of Russia and of the breakaway “Donetsk People’s Republic”. They have been dismissed as a hoax but nevertheless Rabbi Shaffin is convinced their distribution indicates danger for the 15,000-strong Jewish community in the city.
He wrote: “Whether this act of anti semitism was perpetrated by the official government or not, it is a sign of things to come. Let us not forget that some of the greatest slaughters of Jews in history were committed by unofficial groups.”
He calls on Israel to launch an immediate rescue operation for the Jewish community, saying: “We cannot simply ‘monitor’ the situation as we are currently doing and hope for the best. We cannot wait and see what happens. That is exactly what many Jews in Europe did before the Holocaust. By the time they were ready to flee for their lives, the borders were closed and it was impossible to get out.”
In Donetsk yesterday Leonid Krasnopolsky, 43, who had one of the leaflets thrust at him by masked men, said: “I never experienced anti semitism in Donetsk before this.” His 14-year-old son Kiril added: “I want to stay in Ukraine, I love my city and my country. Sadly I see some of my friends who want to leave the country because of the current situation. They are afraid of civil war.”
The synagogue attack came at 2am on Sunday in the port city of Nikolyaev. A passing driver saw the blaze and put out the flames.
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