Ukrainian Jews look to Israel as anti-Semitism escalates

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Anti-Jewish incidents elicit a warning from U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden during a visit to Ukraine.

By Haaretz | Apr. 24, 2014 |

Anti-Jewish violence in Ukraine seems to be escalating.

In the past week alone, there have been reports of a synagogue being fire-bombed in the south-eastern city of Nikolayev, the desecration of the tomb of Dov Ber Schneerson, brother of the late Lubavicher Rebbe, in Dnepropetrovsk and the vandalizing of the Holocaust memorial in Sevastopol.

Those incidents followed the distribution in Donetsk of a leaflet calling on all Jews to register with the self-declared, pro-Russian authorities. Separatist leader Denis Pushilin, whose name appeared on the leaflet, denied that his organization was responsible and its authenticity has not been proved.

Nevertheless, the upsurge of anti-Jewish activity has led many Jews to question their future in the ethnically divided country. That concern has been exacerbated by fears of a possible Russian invasion of the east of the country.

snip* Sohnut's Ivanchecko said that "it is clear that such anti-Semitic provocations have not happened here since World War Two, and no matter who was behind the leaflets, the message itself and the fact that they appeared, do scare people.

According to Jewish Agency figures, 221 Jews immigrated from Ukraine to Israel in the first quarter of 2013 and 375 immigrated during the same time period this year.

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-news/1.587115