Rurak Tetiana, Rudenko Hanna

Tetiana Rurak and Donia Feldman (Knop) grew up in the village of Bokove in the Odesa region, having been friends since childhood. On the eve of the Second World War, Donia got married and moved to the village of Liubashivka (now Liubashivka town). On August 5, 1941, the Nazis occupied the village. Donia's husband had been drafted to the front in June, leaving the woman alone with their seven-month-old son, Volodymyr. When Liubashivka's Jews were ordered to appear at the assembly point, Donia went there but sensed danger and fled. However, living further in her hometown was perilous. Neighbor Hanna Rudenko advised her to escape to the villages and hide there, promising to take care of Volodymyr. Later, Hanna managed to bribe local police officers and register the boy as her son.

Donia reached her native village of Bokove and immediately asked Tetiana Rurak for help. Tetiana did not refuse the frightened and exhausted fugitive, hiding her in her home. When relative calm set in, Donia returned to Liubashivka. However, within a week, she came back to Bokove with her father, Isaak Knop, and sister, Betya. Executions began in Liubashivka, so she had to seek refuge with Tetiana again. In early 1942, manhunts were organized in Bokove too. The Germans arrived at Tetiana's house. To divert attention, the frightened woman set a haystack in the yard on fire and started calling for help. The fire quickly spread, and in the confusion, there was no time for a search.

"Risking her life, Tetiana Rurak saved my family. She sheltered us throughout the occupation, entirely selflessly, out of noble considerations. If the Germans had found us, both she and we would have perished..." From Donia Feldman's memoirs.

The Jewish family survived. Donia's husband returned from the front, and they reclaimed their son Volodymyr, whom Hanna Rudenko had cared for. Throughout their lives, the Feldman family helped their rescuers.

On November 10, 1996, Yad Vashem recognized Tetiana Rurak and Hanna Rudenko as Righteous Among the Nations.

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