Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been called a “Jewish Churchill,” referring to Britain’s heroic war-time prime minister Winston Churchill.
As with past medals produced to commemorate the Second World War British leader, the U.S.-based Jewish-American Hall of Fame has created a limited-edition art medal in Zelensky’s honour. All profits will go towards aiding the embattled Ukrainians in their homeland and as refugees. The Jewish-American Hall of Fame, a non-profit organization, commissioned Jim Licaretz, a former sculptor-engraver at the U.S. Mint, to create the portrait of Zelensky for the 88.9-millimetre medal.
The reverse of the medal features Zelensky’s words, “The truth is that this is our land,” atop the state seal of Ukraine.
The quote is an excerpt from a speech, in which Zelensky said: “We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this.”
Licaretz created the original model in resin using a 3-D printer. He then made a mould and cast the medals in bonded bronze before applying hand finishes.
He struck a maximum of 199 Zelensky medals, and as of early February, more than 150 have already been sold. Each medal – accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a display stand – costs $150 US (about $200 Cdn.) plus $15 US for shipping.
Organizers have raised $11,000 US (nearly $15,000 Cdn.) to help Ukrainian victims of Russian aggression.
To order with a credit card, call 1-818-225-1348. Customers can also use PayPal to send a payment to directorjahf@yahoo.com. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Born to Jewish parents on Jan. 27, 1978, in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Zelensky earned a law degree from the Kyiv National Economic University before pursuing a comedy career. He created a company and produced films, cartoons plus TV shows, including the TV series Servant of the People, in which Zelensky played the role of the Ukrainian president.
In 2019, Zelensky won the Ukrainian presidential election with more than 73 per cent of the votes.