Jaroslawa Lewicka was but a child growing up in Zloczow (Ukraine) in 1941. As the war raged nearby, many of her Jewish neighbors had their homes confiscated and were not allowed to move about, even just to buy some food. Jaroslawa’s grandfather could not remain silent during this time and with the help of his daughter and granddaughter, not only delivered food and medicine to a large group who were hidden some distance away, but also managed to hide two young girls until the area was liberated in 1944. It was often Jaroslawa herself, only 8 or 9 years of age, who managed to slip past the Ukrainian guards with food hidden in her school backpack.
Today, Jaroslawa lives in Israel and has been recognized by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Gentile. At age 75 she is relatively healthy, lives independently and is regularly visited by our friends at ATZUM, a great organization begun by Rabbi Levi Lauer which focuses on several specific at-risk populations in Israel, including Righteous Gentiles. When Yael Rosen, director of ATZUM’s Righteous Gentiles project, wrote early this morning asking if the Good People Fund could possibly underwrite the cost of some extra help for Jaroslawa the answer was never in question. Saying no is not an option when it comes to helping someone who, at a very young age, risked her life so that others would live.
It is an honor.
POSTSCRIPT
We received this a few days after our posting:
Dear Naomi,
My name is Yulia Wygoda, and I work with Yael on ATZUM’s Righteous Among the Nations Project.
I spoke with Jaroslawa and told her about your helping her with homecare. She was so happy and asked that I relay her thanks. I would like to relay my personal thanks as well. It is such a big help for her.
Have a good week,
Yulia
