A righteous gentile was added to the honored list of Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem last week. The righteous rescuer, Feodor Mikhailchenko, was posthumously honored for saving the young life of the past chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau. Rabbi Lau was a young child when he was separated from his family and incarcerated in Nazi Germany’s Buchenwald concentration camp.

Mikhailichenko was a Russian prisoner of war who shared the same barracks as Rabbi Lau. He took young Lau under his wing and tried to secure him food and clothing whenever possible. Rabbi Lau had tried unsuccessfully to locate Mikhailichenko through the years. Not knowing his last name was a huge obstacle in his search. This past year, Rabbi Lau, who now serves as the chairman of Yad Vashem, was notified that a Holocaust researcher in the U.S. had found his rescuer. Unfortunately Mikhailichenko passed away in 1993 but he is survived by two daughters who remember their father telling them about the young Jewish boy he took care of in Buchenwald.

Mikhailichenko’s daughters attended the ceremony at Yad Vashem last week that honored their late father as a Righteous Among the Nations. Rav Lau was emotional when he spoke about the person who saved his life. Pointing to his son and grandchild, Rabbi Lau stated that neither would be here today if not for Mikhailichenko.

Rav Lau has always been extremely supportive of the Righteous Among the Nations living in Israel. With his help, a special plot in the Tel Aviv Kiryat Shaul cemetery was allocated for Righteous Gentiles. Several of the righteous rescuers whom ATZUM assisted were buried there. The memorial in the middle of the plot quotes the Jewish source that states: “Righteous Among the Nations have a place in the world to come”.