NEW YORK – Ronald S. Lauder, philanthropist, activist and president of the World Jewish Congress, received the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Award for 2018 at a ceremony at New York’s Ukrainian Institute of America on September 27.
Ambassador Lauder was recognized for his support of Ukraine’s Jewish community and his promotion of Ukrainian-Jewish cooperation. He is the fourth recipient of the award, which is conferred by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine (JCU) and the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (UJE).
In presenting the award, UJE Board Chairman James C. Temerty called Ambas-sador Lauder, “a great leader of the global Jewish community and a friend of Ukraine and of the Jewish community in Ukraine.”
Borys Lozhkin, JCU’s president, said it was appropriate the award was presented during Sukkot, an important Jewish holiday of celebration.
“Thanks to Ambassador Lauder’s philanthropy and commitment, our community is now coming from a place of strength,” he said. “Ambassador Lauder’s deeds have helped bring the entire Ukrainian Jewish community together through the establishment of Jewish educational institutions such as the Ronald Lauder Camp Shuva, Jewish Day Schools and kindergartens in Ukraine, as well as a modern security system to protect the Jewish community.”
Dr. Leon Chameides, who survived the Holocaust thanks to Metropolitan Sheptytsky’s efforts, said it was appropriate that Ambassador Lauder received the award as the two men shared three characteristics: a deep and abiding faith, evidence of courageous independence and the saving of Jews.
“I am here with you only because Metropolitan Sheptytsky and the brothers of the Studite Order had the conviction and the moral courage to answer the Biblical question ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ in the affirmative,” Dr. Chameides said. “Theirs was a lonely beam of light on an otherwise dark and bleak horizon.”
Mr. Lauder noted he was humbled in receiving the medal and paid homage to the Metropolitan.
“What makes this award special is that it is named after Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church during World War II. The archbishop had to strike an unusual balance to deal with Nazis who occupied his country, and to save Jewish lives.”
In saving 150 Jewish lives, the metropolitan “saved 150 worlds,” Ambassador Lauder said, referring to the Jewish precept “Whoever Saves a Life Saves the World.”
“Although I may have educated many thousands of Jewish children, I don’t know if I saved one Jewish life,” he said. “But the fact is, this man had courage, unbelievable courage, at a time when so few people had that courage and so few people raised up, particularly in the religious world, and this man deserves all the credit. And my only sadness is that his name is not better known. I do believe much more should be written about him, spoken about him. He deserves everything we can give.”
“We must remember the Jewish people have been tied to Ukraine for over a thousand years,” Ambassador Lauder noted. Although the relationship between Ukrainians and Jews has not always been positive, he credited Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for insisting that anti-Semitism would not be tolerated in Ukraine. “For that we are very grateful,” he said.
Mr. Lauder noted that everything possible needed to be done to bring the Ukrainian and Jewish people together, and he welcomed UJE’s efforts in that direction.
In his remarks Mr. Temerty said that “although there are persistent anti-Semitic acts in Ukraine, as is the case in most nations, I’m happy to note that the predominant tenor of Ukrainian-Jewish relations there and in the diaspora is one of mutual respect and regard. To strengthen this process, we must both honestly address the past and build a future together focused on cooperation and rooted in the fact that a huge proportion of Israelis and the Jewish diaspora can trace their roots to the territory of Ukraine.”
Ambassador Lauder is the fourth winner of the Sheptytsky Award. In 2016, the recipient was Ukrainian writer and former Soviet dissident Ivan Dzyuba, recognized for his decades-long commitment to human rights, speaking out against xenophobia and anti-Semitism, and working for national reconciliation.
In 2014, the award was presented to Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk for his work in fostering Ukrainian-Jewish relations and advancing his homeland’s European aspirations.
A year earlier, the award was given by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine to James C. Temerty, Canadian Ukrainian businessman, philanthropist and founder of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.
The Ukrainian Jewish Encounter has dedicated significant efforts to advance international recognition of the legacy of the legendary Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church leader Metropolitan Sheptytsky, one of the towering Ukrainian leaders of the 20th century.
UJE’s efforts were advanced when the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine created the Andrey Sheptytsky Medal. The award was established for contributions to the cause of Ukrainian-Jewish understanding and cooperation and is awarded to people who have dedicated themselves to fostering relations between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples.
Metropolitan Sheptytsky is a model worthy of celebration and emulation, providing a basis for building trust and bridges between communities.
Born in 1865 to a prominent aristocratic family, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church from 1901 until his death in 1944. During World War II, he helped save more than the 150 Jewish lives. The metropolitan sheltered Jews in his own residence at great personal risk and arranged for Church monasteries to protect well over 100 Jewish children. Not one of them was betrayed or lost.
Metropolitan Sheptytsky also publicly protested against Nazi Germany’s murderous policies towards Jews, alerted Pope Pius XII in personal reports about the mass murders taking place, and issued the pastoral letter “Thou Shalt Not Kill” in November 1942, urging the faithful of his Church not to participate in Nazi atrocities.
Throughout his life, the metropolitan was dedicated to preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage. He collected icons and objects of art, and as a patron of the arts and philanthropist, supported many prominent Ukrainian artists. Today, his collection is the basis of the Andrey Sheptytsky National Museum in Lviv.
Natalia A. Feduschak is director of communications, Ukrainian Jewish Encounter (www.ukrainianjewishencounter.org).