Ukraine, together with its Jewish community (one of the largest in Europe), is living through one of the most dramatic moments in its history. For the first time in hundreds of years, the country where many different nationalities live together, has gained the chance to form a new nation. This chance is the result of the victory of civil society, a victory in which Ukrainian Jews played a major role, over the authoritarian and corrupt regime of ex-President Yanukovych.

Ukraine has one of the lowest levels of anti-Semitic behavior in Europe. Preparations are underway for fitting remembrance activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the Babi Yar Massacre, and the lessons from the Holocaust are taught in many large and small cities in Ukraine. Jewish public life has been re-established during the years since Ukraine gained independence, and there are dozens of Jewish schools, synagogues and charitable organizations.

Together with Ukrainians, Russians, Armenians and Crimean Tatars, Jews participated in Euromaidan demonstrations throughout Ukraine two years ago, defending their European choice. That choice is based on the principles of democracy, tolerance, equality of all before the law and respect of inalienable human rights. Many paid the highest price for this, sacrificing their lives. The first victim on Maidan was an Armenian Sergey Nigoyan, the second – a Belarusian Mikhail Zhiznevsky; among those who were killed were Jews – Joseph Shilling from Drohobych, Oleksandr Shcherbanyuk from Chernovtsy and Evgeniy Kotlyar from Kharkov. Jewish people are currently involved in defending and building a new European Ukraine.

The dedication of all these people has enabled Ukraine to take a road travelled by other peoples in Europe, leading to the formation of a political nation. Jews have lived in Ukraine for many centuries, and not always our relations with neighbors were good – we have much to tell about discrimination, oppression and persecution. Ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union will draw a symbolic line under the past. It will embolden millions of Ukrainians of different nationalities and faiths to build a just society by following the path that the Netherlands took after the Eighty Years’ War when it gained independence from the Spanish.

It is not about joining the EU, but only about Association that will enable Ukraine to firmly follow a European vector of development and finally break free of Russia’s dictate.

We appeal to you to come to the referendum on April 6 and to vote for the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Please, give a chance to our young democracy, which has been achieved at such a high price, a chance for peace, stability and prosperity in our common European home.

Andrey Adamovsky, Co-President of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine

Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich, Cief Rabbi of Kiev and all of Ukraine

Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny, Head of the Association of Progressive Jewish Communities of Ukraine

Leonid Finberg, Director of the Centre for Studies of the East European Jewish Culture and History

Alexander Gaidar, Director of the Association of Progressive Jewish Communities of Ukraine

Victoria Godik, Head of the Ukrainian Union of Jewish Students

Artem Kobzan, Acting Chairman of the Zionist Federation of Ukraine

Arkady Monastyrsky, President of the Jewish Forum of Ukraine

Anatoly Podolsky, Director of the Ukrainian Centre for Holocaust Studies

Petr Rashkovsky, President of the Association of Jewish Communities of Ukrainian Small Towns

Rabbi Meir Stambler, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine

Rabbi Reuven Stamov, Head of the Association of Religious Communities of Traditional Judaism of Ukraine

Alexander Suslensky, President of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Council

Alina Teplitskaya, Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine

Mykhailo Tkach, Director of the United Jewish Community of Ukraine

Boris Zabarko, President of the Ukrainian Association of Jewish Former Prisoners of Ghettos and Nazi Concentration Camps

Eugeny Ziskind, Executive Director of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities of Ukraine

Joseph Zissels, Co-President of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine