Dombrovska Olena, Kolmakova (Dombrovska) Tetiana

Before the war, 17-year-old Tetiana Dombrowska lived with her mother Feoktysta in Dubno, Rivne region. She worked at a grain warehouse, where she met a young Jewish woman Sarah Lopatin.

In April 1942, the German authorities transferred Sarah, her husband Khaim, and their two-year-old daughter Liza to a ghetto in one of the districts of the city. Sarah kept going to work from there. Once in autumn, she visited Tetiana with little Liza and asked to take the child for one night, apparently knowing about the upcoming action to exterminate the Jews. Tetiana, not suspecting anything, took the girl to her place, and the next day the rumor about the liquidation of the ghetto spread through the city.

As Sarah no longer came to work, Tetiana realized that her friend was killed and that she was now responsible for Liza's life. However, she could not leave the child at home, so she took her to her widowed aunt Olena Dombrovska.

Despite the danger, the woman kindly took Liza. The girl became very attached to her and began to call her mom.

After the war, Liza was found by her uncle, Yehezkel Hroinen, but she stayed with her rescuer until 1954. When the relative had the opportunity to leave for Israel, Olena let 16-year-old Liza go with him.

The girl later learned from her uncle about the tragic fate of her real parents. Living in Israel, she kept in touch with her Ukrainian foster mother. Their correspondence lasted until Olena died in 1970. 

In 2004, Yad Vashem recognized Tetiana Kolmakova (Dombrovska) and Olena Dombrovska as Righteous Among the Nations.