Kukharevich Fedor

Kukharevich, Fyodor Kukharevich, Paisiy Fyodor Kukharevich lived in the town of Dubno, district of Wołyń (today Rivne District). He knew the Jewish Mantver family. In September 1942, Raya Mantver arrived at Kukharevich’s home after escaping from the Dubno ghetto with her six-month-old daughter Zina. Although Raya did not look Jewish, Kukharevich still feared that she would be discovered because many people in the town knew her. So he decided to move the mother and daughter to his brother Paisiy’s home in the village of Jurydyka (Yurydyka), about 70 km from Dubno. Raya, dressed in peasant clothing, carried her baby daughter in her arms as Kukharevich conveyed them by rented cart to Jurydyka. Whenever they were stopped for inspection along the way, he said she was his wife. When they arrived at Paisiy’s home, Kukharevich didn’t tell his brother that Raya was Jewish and he asked his brother to shelter her for a while. Raya got along very well in the village – she spoke fluent Ukrainian, went to church, and worked in the fields. In January 1943, a man from Dubno arrived in the village and recognized Raya. Afraid that he would report her, she told Paisiy that she was Jewish, and he calmed her down and promised that he would still take care of her. Paisiy didn’t tell his wife and children that Raya was Jewish, and Raya remained in their home for another six months. When officials came to check the identity papers of the village residents, Raya had to flee the village. She was hidden, together with her husband and parents-in-law, in the village of Milcza Mała (Myl’cha), by the Mikhashchuk* family (see supplementary volume) for about ten months, from July 1943 until the liberation. Throughout this time her daughter stayed with Paisiy, who registered her as his daughter. After the liberation, Raya found her daughter healthy and well cared for. They later immigrated to Israel. On February 10, 1997, Yad Vashem recognized Fyodor Kukharevich and his brother, PaisiyKukharevich, as Righteous Among the Nations.