Israel Honors Armenian Citizen Who Saved Jews During the Holocaust

JERUSALEM — Yad Vashem institute-museum recognized Armenian citizen Harutyun Khachatryan as a “Righteous among Nations” for the first time in July 2013. The awarding ceremony of the Khachatryan family by the Israeli delegation will take place in Yerevan on February 4, during which a certificate of the “Righteous among Nations” will be handed to the family of the Armenian hero.

For more than three years the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation, along with a number of other projects, has been involved in the identification of those Armenian heroes who have displayed exclusive courage during the World War II and saved hundreds of lives, particularly Jews who had appeared in the clutches of death.

The organization’s complicated research work soon gave a desired result. Thanks to the efforts of the RWIF volunteer Mr. Artiom Chernamoryan the story of this Armenian hero was revealed and the official awarding ceremony took place in Yerevan on September 12 at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Armenia with the participation of the President of Armenia Serz Sarkisian, founder of the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation Mr. Baruch Tenembaum from New York, vice-president Mr. Daniel Rainer and volunteer Artiom Chernamorian from Israel, as well as many accredited ambassadors and members of the Government of Armenia.

During the official ceremony, Mr. Tenembaum awarded a “Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Medal” to the granddaughter of Harutyun Khachatryan, Anna Khachatryan who had provided the whole family archive to the foundation and along with the volunteers supported to reveal the story of the Armenian hero. Mr. Tenembaum solemnly awarded a “Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Medal” to the president of Armenia Serz Sargkisian on behalf of all Armenian heroes.

Obliged by the warm reception of the President, the research group of the organization continues the process of discovering the heroic stories that took place seven decades ago.

RWIF is a global reach NGO with a primary mission to research, preserve and spread the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg and other brave men and women, who have saved the lives of persecuted people during the Jewish Holocaust and other conflicts. This mission is supported by the leaders of more than 300 countries and Nobel Prize laureates. One of the honorary members of the foundation is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, nowadays famous as Pope Francis.

Chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation Mr. Eduardo Ernekian and founder Baruch Tenembaum again send their congratulations to the Khachatryan family and promise to do everything possible to shed light to the stories of new Armenian saviors.