Jews ordered to register in Ukraine

John Kerry and Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov 

The situation in Ukraine has now turned ugly and sick.  In Donetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine, Jewish people were gathered at their local synagogue for the Passover eve prayer.  As they were leaving, masked men handed them a leaflet that takes us back to the mindset of Adolf Hitler.  It said they must "register" with the pro-Russian militants who have taken over a government office.  If they refuse, their assets will be confiscated, their citizenship revoked and they will be deported.

Surely this can't be happening again.

But the man whose name appears on the document, Denis Pushilin, who is Chairman of the pro-Russian "Donetsk's temporary government" said he is not responsible but admitted the leaflets were distributed under his organization's name.

Denis Pushilin

TRANSLATION IN FULL Dear citizens of Jewish nationality

Taking into consideration the fact that the leaders of Jewish community of Ukraine has supported banderovtsy’s Junta in Kiev, and have been hostile to Orthodox Donetsk Republic and its citizens, the General Staff of Donetsk People’s Republic has decreed the following:All citizens of Jewish nationality who are older than 16 years-old that have been living within the territory of Sovereign Donetsk Republic should attend acting Commissioner for nationalities affairs in Donetsk Regional Government Department, office 514 for registration before 03 May 2014. The registration fees are 50 USD.You should bring the amount of 50 USD for registration fees, passports for marking the confession of faith, documents showing family members, entitling documents for title to real property and transport facilities.

In case of attempts to avoid the registration, the subject persons’ citizenship will be revoked with their subsequent enforced deportation outside Donetsk Republic including the forfeiture of their property.

Stamp with Donetsk People’s Republic 

Yours

People’s Governor – Denis Pushilin

US Secretary of State John Kerry said "In the year 2014, after all of the miles travelled and all of the journey of history, this is not just intolerable, it's grotesque.  And any of the people who engage in these kind of activities - from whatever party or whatever ideology or whatever place they crawl out of - there is no place for that."