One Man’s Personal Mission: Uncovering the Experiences of Ukrainian Jews
Ukraine once was home to one of the largest and most culturally rich Jewish communities of Europe. But the experience of those Ukrainian Jews during the Holocaust remained essentially buried until the fall of the Soviet Union. Even then, the effort to uncover the truth of where more than 1.5 million Jews were killed in what is called “the Holocaust by bullets” was incremental. Today that longstanding injustice is being addressed by Michael P. Polsky, a Ukrainian-born American technology entrepreneur.
Through the Piotr and Basheva Polsky Memorial Initiative for the Study of Ukrainian Jewry, a transformative project established in 2013, the
Museum is dramatically expanding its efforts to bring to light this vitally important part of Holocaust history.
The first phase of the Polsky Memorial Initiative supported the hiring of a dedicated professional who has fostered partnerships and piloted research and educational programs in and about Ukraine specifically.
With a second generous gift from Michael and Tanya Polsky, the Museum has launched the next phase of the initiative to tackle its strategic goal of long-term impact on the way scholars study, write, and teach about Ukraine — focusing on the Holocaust as a generational history spanning the early 20th century to the present. “The Polsky gift will support our research and collections work on the whole sweep of Ukrainian Jewish life,” explained Elana Jakel, the initiative’s manager. “Their investment in digital resources also will help get these materials into classrooms.”
As eastern Europe continues to be politically unstable, the Museum’s efforts to secure this lesser-known part of Holocaust history is vitally important in confronting historical amnesia, as well as both denial and politicization of the Holocaust.
A Conversation with Michael Polsky
Young people must understand that this is not just theoretical “stone-age” history. This happened, and it can happen again unless and until people stand up and fight it. —Michael Polsky
What is your personal connection to this history?
Polsky: I was born in the former Soviet Union five years after the end of World War II. As a little boy, I remember seeing the destroyed buildings and devastated families that I knew. Later, when I went to school, people talked about the devastation of the Soviet population but didn’t talk specifically about Jews, even though we knew that Jews were the prime targets of Nazis. Growing up in a neighborhood where there were not a lot of Jews, I was bullied as a Jewish boy — a firsthand experience of antisemitism in Ukraine.
What motivated you to partner with the Museum?
Polsky: A few years ago, I heard that someone had endowed a Center for Romanian Jews based on his background and I started thinking how important it was to apply that same intensity and focus on Ukrainian Jews. A significant number of American Jews have ancestors from what is now Ukraine and I saw how little they knew about what happened to Ukrainian
Jews during the Holocaust. The Museum’s resources and reputation set it apart from other organizations. So I called the Museum, introduced myself, and that’s how it started.
Why is it so crucial to increase efforts in this part of the world?
Polsky: It’s very important that the Museum documents this history now. A lot of historical material is disappearing, and quickly. Unless something is done, this part of Jewish history might be lost forever. I myself have been a witness to the distortion of this history to satisfy particular political desires of the moment.
How do you feel seeing the resurgence of antisemitism around the world, including manifestations in your adoptive country?
Polsky: I’m very disturbed with this. When I lived in the Soviet Union, maybe I was a little bit too naïve thinking that antisemitism is a Soviet thing, or possibly Ukrainian thing. But now I understand that human nature really does not change much. And I can see how some things that we may not see for years, or decades, or centuries may suddenly flare up.
What impact do you hope to achieve through this initiative?
Polsky: In addition to preserving the truth, my hope is deepening understanding for Jews and non-Jews. In particular, young people must understand that this is not just theoretical “stone-age” history. They need to understand it happened in a time and place not that different from their own. This happened, and it can happen again unless and until people stand
up and really fight it.
This article was first published in fall 2017.
