(Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Krivoi Rog, Donetsk, and Kyiv) Report of a ...

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124 Ben-Tzvi continued, are forcing the closure of small and medium-size businesses, unless their owners are willing to enter the black economy and try to survive without paying taxes. “Black” businesses, said Mr. Ben-Tzvi, will not do business with the hesed because the hesed is “white,” that is, it reports all of its financial transactions. 82. The Jewish Service Corps is a recently-initiated program of the Joint Distribution Committee in which young American Jewish adults with university degrees engage in year-long paid service work related to JDC overseas programs. Most placements are in Israel or in diaspora Jewish communities, but some opportunities also exist in developing countries in which JDC conducts non-sectarian humanitarian projects. JDC covers travel and housing expenses, insurance, a monthly stipend for living expenses, and a year-end bonus. The writer spoke with Aryeh and Stephanie Pelcovits, who arrived in September 2010 as the first JSC Fellows to serve in Ukraine. They are recent graduates of New York University and modern Orthodox in Jewish religious orientation. In discussing their mission, Ms. Pelcovits referred to their pioneer status by saying that they were “filling a niche that did not exist”. More seriously, they concurred that their major responsibility is to engage young Jews between the ages of 18 and 30 in informal Jewish settings. Stephanie and Aryeh Pelcovits, left, were JDC Jewish Service Corps fellows in Kyiv in 2010-2011. Photo: the writer. By early April, they had hosted over 60 different young people at Shabbat dinners, eight individuals at a time, in their apartment. They meet people through circulating at different synagogues, small minyans that meet in Kyiv, Moishe House, and other Jewish programs that attract young adults. They had consulted with Moishe House residents on procedures for running Shabbat dinners and conducting other Jewish rituals at the Moishe House apartment. They led programs at Jewish seminars and camps. They traveled outside their Kyiv base to do similar work in other Jewish population centers. One of their unexpected constituencies proved to be a fairly large number of young Jews working in Ukraine as members of the United States Peace Corps. Some of these individuals, said Ms. Pelcovits, clearly were looking for an English-language Jewish connection during their tenure in Ukraine. Several young Jewish Peace Corps volunteers had taken the Pelcovits couple to the villages in which they were stationed so that they can engage remnant Jewish populations in these locales.
125 In response to a question, both Aryeh and Stephanie Pelcovits said that they speak “decent Russian” after participating in Russian classes that the JDC had arranged for them. Communication with Ukrainian Jewish young people was not a serious problem, they said, since many Jews in their target age group speak English. The Pelcovits couple were due to return to the United States in July; Mr. Pelcovits would begin medical school shortly thereafter. Before their departure from Kyiv, they said, they would like to create a programmatic infrastructure that continues after they leave. They envision a program that teaches young adults how to plan and carry out home-based Shabbat dinners and other small-group Jewish rituals. 83. B’nai B’rith International maintains two lodges in Ukraine, one in Kyiv and one in Lviv. Both are supported financially by a patron in London. The writer spoke with Felix Levitas, a longtime activist in Ukrainian Jewish life and current President of B’nai B’rith in Kyiv. In explaining his own background, Mr. Levitas said that his family had resided in Kyiv for many generations; some were killed in pogroms during the Russian Civil War in Ukraine (1918- 1920). His father, continued Mr. Levitas, escaped from Kyiv in 1941 and returned to the city in 1944, finding that all of his relatives who had stayed behind had been slaughtered at Babi Yar. Felix Levitas is a former history professor and current President of B’nai Br’ith in Kyiv. Photo: the writer. Mr. Levitas himself learned about the Holocaust when he and his father listened in secret to Kol Israel broadcasts about the Shoah. Upon finishing high school, Mr. Levitas first worked in a factory as that was the politically correct path at the time. After accumulating the necessary labor credentials, Mr. Levitas subsequently studied history and then worked as a history teacher. As soon as conditions improved under perestroika, Mr. Levitas began to write books on Jewish history, including the Holocaust. His research led to a position at International Solomon University; he became Dean of Jewish Studies at ISU, a position that he left five years ago. 117 He now teaches at a pedagogical institute, teaching graduate courses to history teachers returning for advanced degrees. Mr. Levitas also continues to do research and write about Jewish history. He has written about the Beilis trial, the Bund in Ukraine, and Babi Yar. 117 See pages 96-97 for information about International Solomon University.
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OBSERVATIONS ON JEWISH COMMUNITY LI
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3 begin to pay taxes that they had
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5 Dnipropetrovsk Founded in 1778 on
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7 The major entrance to the Menorah
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9 The preschool is operating “at
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11 pupils (503) and the number of y
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13 families whose relationship to C
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15 boys’ home (a former synagogue
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17 The overwhelming majority of lit
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19 homes, sometimes bringing them s
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21 program in Kharkiv come to Beit
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23 return for the teaching done by
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25 started as more funds become ava
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27 Holocaust, and rebirth of Jewish
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29 manufacturer inevitably will ent
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31 Two newcomers were expected to j
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33 individual needs, providing food
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35 managing. He has heard of very f
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37 committee for the clinic was est
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39 Jewish community. Another 120 in
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41 Natalia Rier, who directs the lo
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43 speakers are fluent in English a
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45 The consul noted that the ICC wi
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47 Ms. Katz confirmed that Hesed Me
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49 Dnipropetrovsk. The relationship
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51 It is very difficult to raise mo
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53 are the daughters of local rabbi
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55 requires that all private school
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57 Vkontakte, to recruit students a
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59 seniors purchase in order to rec
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61 Rabbi Moskovitz noted, a busines
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63 writer met with George Faingold,
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65 males if they would willingly se
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67 utilities, petrol, transportatio
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Jewish Education and Culture 69 44.
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71 46. It is common in Ukraine and
Page 73 and 74: 73 purchase new clothing. Donetsk,
Page 75 and 76: 75 The fitness hall is a gift from
Page 77 and 78: 77 National and International Jewis
Page 79 and 80: 79 drain”, but she doesn’t yet
Page 81 and 82: Jewish Education and Culture 81 52.
Page 83 and 84: 83 Surrounding the prayer hall are
Page 85 and 86: 85 the program is very expensive to
Page 87 and 88: 87 preschools. Authorities could fo
Page 89 and 90: 89 in its generally poor neighborho
Page 91 and 92: 91 connected to the Internet; howev
Page 93 and 94: 93 60. Rabbi Yonatan and Mrs. Ina M
Page 95 and 96: 95 accounting procedures require th
Page 97 and 98: 97 Other individuals in Kyiv with w
Page 99 and 100: 99 64. An organization bearing the
Page 101 and 102: 101 group, but the young women them
Page 103 and 104: 103 worked in Jewish schools and ca
Page 105 and 106: 105 Lo Tishkach arranges all travel
Page 107 and 108: 107 Ukraine in this period. They cl
Page 109 and 110: 109 kashrut, and/or work in secular
Page 111 and 112: 111 Odesa, said Rabbi Dukhovny, pro
Page 113 and 114: The writer observed 12 to 15 univer
Page 115 and 116: 115 and funds simply do not exist,
Page 117 and 118: 117 rightwing antisemites, i.e., ne
Page 119 and 120: 119 songs, the Holocaust, Jewish he
Page 121 and 122: 121 countries are eligible for aliy
Page 123: 123 The JDC welfare caseload in the
Page 127 and 128: 127 Commentary 84. The Jewish popul
Page 129: 129 accommodates modernity and thei
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