Last Righteous Among the Nations Living in Israel Passes Away in Haifa at 91

Yaroslava Levitska, the last Righteous Among the Nations living in Israel, passed away in Haifa on Tuesday evening at the age of 91, just two months shy of her 92nd birthday. Born in Poland in 1935, Levitska began helping her grandfather rescue Jews during the Holocaust when she was only six years old by smuggling food and medicine into the Zlochev Ghetto.

Operating in extreme danger, young Levitska used her school bag to bypass German and Ukrainian guards, delivering bread, potatoes, and even candies to starving children. Her family also provided food to a group of 25 Jews hiding in the cellar of a ruined house until the community's liquidation in April 1943. In 1989, Levitska, her mother, and her grandfather were officially recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. She immigrated to Israel in 1995 and settled in Haifa.

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav paid tribute to her legacy, stating, "Yaroslava Levitska was a symbol of courage, humanity, and grace. Already at the age of six, she risked her life to save Jews during the Holocaust, proving that even in the darkest moments, humanity can triumph over fear and evil." Her sole nephew in Israel, Nikolai Sudarenko, expressed profound sorrow, noting how deeply she loved her life in Israel and how well she was cared for.

Levitska's remarkable life was documented in the book "Only Red Candies" by Maya Klinger-Cohen. Earlier this year, students from the "Bassmat" school in Haifa celebrated her 91st birthday, an annual tradition organized in cooperation with the municipality's Holocaust Education Institute and the Rotary Club. Eleven Righteous Among the Nations are buried in Haifa's Latin Cemetery, and the municipality established a dedicated memorial garden in the Ramat Alon neighborhood to honor their deeds.