The Jewish Community of Ukraine and the Current Crisis

There are between 50,000 to 100,000 Jews in Ukraine today. It is an active and extremely diverse community - with five rival Jewish umbrella organizations, two rival chief rabbis (both Hasidic), congregations associated with the Masorti and Reform Movements, and an impressive network of JCC’s. The country’s president and defense minister are Jewish, as are some of its top businessmen/oligarchs. Now Ukrainian Jewry is thrust into a crisis, due to the Russian invasion of their country. This talk will analyze the state of the community, and its reactions to the unfolding events.
Professor David Fishman was joined by senior JTS rabbinical student Alisa Tzipi Zilbershtein, who was born in Russia and is now based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Alisa is dedicated to serving the Jews of the Former Soviet Union and to the revival of Judaism in Eastern Europe, and she plans to return to Ukraine after her ordination this May.
All donations made in connection with this program will be directed to Project Judaica, JTS’s joint academic program with the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, which trains the future leaders of Ukrainian Jewish communities.

[@Thaud]

Thank you Rabbi Andelman. I am a JTS graduate of 1960who went on to medical school. I belong to A conservative synagogue in Denver. For reasons that baffle me our congregation the HEA has been virtually disconnected onUkraine. Frankly it is driving me wild. I like so many am one generation away from Ukraine. My father’s family were from Lviv and my mother’s from Zablofow. My grandfather Sigmund Thau had smicha from the Bobover rebbe,but when he came to the US he became a friend of Solomon Schechter and Louis Finkelstein, and most importantly Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan. He was one of the founders of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. My grandfather actually paid for the publication of the first Reconstructionist Siddur. I deeply appreciate this Webinar and thank you, Professor Fidhmanand the rest. Daniel Teitelbaum, MD, MHL, Rabbi, JTS 1960.

[@juliaandelman5170]

Thank you for your kind words. I'm so glad you were able to learn with us. JTS is truly blessed to have Prof. Fishman on our faculty.

[@davidbohonos3021]

Thank you I benefited so much, learned so much from all of you

[@ivan162]

As a Ukrainian I enjoyed your presentation !

[@pon3596]

Hi I am a Christian in Hong Kong but I am burdened for Ukrainian Jews, how to support your organization

[@jasonmckay8793]

Is the Jewish community in any additional trouble compared to the rest of the Ukrainian population because of the war? I honestly don't know would like to hear what u think. especially the elderly.

[@deborahdean8867]

WW2.....problem is the same for Ukraine, 2 ethnic sides. One ethnic side goes with Russia, one with Poland/Germany , the west. The westerners have been in power since 2014 (and before) and they still had their AVOZ ? Doing ethnic cleansing, it was just against the ethnic Russians and toma instead of the Jews this time. Ukraine had been a political vacuum since 1991 and has been unable to establish a government that represents all the people. All their successive leaders have done is sell out ukraine to the highest bidder......Russia or the US. Tjats who Ukraine's desire to join the EU and NATO cant be taken seriously as the will of all the people in Ukraine

[@TheThridwolf]

Leave Ukrainian for your own safty