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

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42 a question, Ms. Zbarzhevsky said that the average age of olim (immigrants in Israel) from Ukraine was 32; the predominant groups were young singles and young families. Another significant group consists of middle-age and older people who need medical care not available or too costly in Ukraine. Answering another question, Ms. Zbarzhevsky said that the primary driver of aliyah was economic distress; local inflation was 24.9 percent, she said, and many individuals and families simply could not make ends meet. A related important stimulus to aliyah, she continued, was fear of political instability under the Yanukovych government. Commenting on various absorption programs in Israel, Ms. Zbarzhevsky said that the Na’aleh high school in Israel program remains stable. The previous five-month Selah college/university program has been changed to a 10-month Selah Masa format (see below), in which participants will study both Hebrew and English, as well as learn about various aspects of life in Israel; some will use the new format as the first step in aliyah, to be followed by enrollment in an Israeli college or university, and others may regard it more as an academic year abroad program and will return to Ukraine upon completion of the course. Lena Zbarzhevsky emigrated to Israel as an adolescent with her family from Dnipropetrovsk. Twenty years later, she has returned to direct JAFI operations in the region. Photo: the writer (in 2010). Regarding Taglit (birthright Israel tours), Ms. Zbarzhevsky stated that three different groups operate Taglit tours from the Dnipropetrovsk region; both JAFI and Hillel offer two trips annually (one in summer and one in winter), each consisting of one bus for 40 young people. The Israel Cultural Center also sponsors two buses annually, she continued, but these include participants from throughout Ukraine, not just Dnipropetrovsk or the Dnipropetrovsk region. The age range for Taglit is 18 to 26; the average age of participants is 22/23, said Ms. Zbarzhevsky. Many returning Taglit participants then decide to enroll in Masa, a 10-month program that enables young adults to explore specific interests. Fifty young people from the Dnipropetrovsk area have joined various Masa programs during the 2010-2011 academic year, Ms. Zbarzhevsky stated, and she expects significantly more to enroll for 2011-2012 courses. Most Russian-language Masa programs are offered at little or no cost, she said, observing that a $1,000 to $1,500 co-payment is manageable for many young people. Among the most popular programs in this category are those dealing with computer technology, business management, English-language study, and Hebrew-language/Jewish tradition. Some courses offered by Orthodox religious groups are not only free, but provide stipends as well. Masa courses targeting Englishspeaking Jews may cost as much as $5,000; although some native Russian-/Ukrainian-
43 speakers are fluent in English and possess the language skills to participate in such courses, they are unlikely to be able to make a co-payment of that amount. 41 A new program that is very appealing to many aliyah candidates is a work-study trial in which individuals test actual employment opportunities in their own specialties. They are provided with room and board and can earn as much as $700 monthly while working and studying in such fields as computer technology, journalism, and translation. Their work experience enables them to make employment connections leading to job offers. In response to a question about local activities, Ms. Zbarzhevsky said that JAFI operates youth clubs in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhya, and Krivoi Rog. Although technically open to young people from the age of eight through young adulthood, the clubs effectively serve only university students. JAFI also sponsors occasional youth activities in Dniprodzerzhinsk and several other cities, although these are not in the format of structured clubs. In Dnipropetrovsk, JAFI also operates a Sunday school that attracts about 15 youngsters between the ages of eight and 12 every week. The curriculum includes Hebrew, other Jewish subjects, English, and some recreational activities; during the summer months, the Sunday school becomes a day camp enrolling a larger number of youngsters. None of the participants, said Ms. Zbarzhevsky, attends the Chabad Jewish day school in the city; the children may not be halachically Jewish, their parents fear the religious orientation of the school, and the school itself is not prestigious. Due to budgetary constraints, said Ms. Zbarzhevsky, JAFI is unable to offer any activities for adults other than ulpan classes with Jewish identification components; however, secular Talmud study will be offered in 2011- 2012. The Jewish Agency will offer three summer camp sessions in 2011, each based at a site on the Black Sea and each aimed at a specific age group (ages 12-14, ages 15-17, and students). Each camp session will accommodate 90 campers for a period of eight days. Most counselors are former campers who have completed training courses, said Ms. Zbarzhevsky. The director also is a local individual, but six or seven specialists from Israel will join the staff to lead particular programs. With support from the Pincus Fund and another Jewish Agency program, JAFI also sponsors Community Home, an Internet role-playing game that attracts individuals between the ages of 16 and 30. Dnipropetrovsk activists compete with five other teams in the region to build their own local Jewish community for the future. Ms. Zbarzhevsky commented that high on the agenda of all participants are Jewish pluralism and a highquality Jewish day school that is open to all youngsters of Jewish heritage regardless of halachic background. Ms. Zbarzhevsky stated that local Jews clearly desire a Jewish communal infrastructure that offers multiple approaches to Judaism and Jewish practice with mutual respect among all Jews and Jewish organizations. Rabbi Kaminezki understands this need for 41 See page 64 for a report of a Kharkiv student unable to afford payment for a particular MASA course.
Page 1 and 2: OBSERVATIONS ON JEWISH COMMUNITY LI
Page 3 and 4: 3 begin to pay taxes that they had
Page 5 and 6: 5 Dnipropetrovsk Founded in 1778 on
Page 7 and 8: 7 The major entrance to the Menorah
Page 9 and 10: 9 The preschool is operating “at
Page 11 and 12: 11 pupils (503) and the number of y
Page 13 and 14: 13 families whose relationship to C
Page 15 and 16: 15 boys’ home (a former synagogue
Page 17 and 18: 17 The overwhelming majority of lit
Page 19 and 20: 19 homes, sometimes bringing them s
Page 21 and 22: 21 program in Kharkiv come to Beit
Page 23 and 24: 23 return for the teaching done by
Page 25 and 26: 25 started as more funds become ava
Page 27 and 28: 27 Holocaust, and rebirth of Jewish
Page 29 and 30: 29 manufacturer inevitably will ent
Page 31 and 32: 31 Two newcomers were expected to j
Page 33 and 34: 33 individual needs, providing food
Page 35 and 36: 35 managing. He has heard of very f
Page 37 and 38: 37 committee for the clinic was est
Page 39 and 40: 39 Jewish community. Another 120 in
Page 41: 41 Natalia Rier, who directs the lo
Page 45 and 46: 45 The consul noted that the ICC wi
Page 47 and 48: 47 Ms. Katz confirmed that Hesed Me
Page 49 and 50: 49 Dnipropetrovsk. The relationship
Page 51 and 52: 51 It is very difficult to raise mo
Page 53 and 54: 53 are the daughters of local rabbi
Page 55 and 56: 55 requires that all private school
Page 57 and 58: 57 Vkontakte, to recruit students a
Page 59 and 60: 59 seniors purchase in order to rec
Page 61 and 62: 61 Rabbi Moskovitz noted, a busines
Page 63 and 64: 63 writer met with George Faingold,
Page 65 and 66: 65 males if they would willingly se
Page 67 and 68: 67 utilities, petrol, transportatio
Page 69 and 70: Jewish Education and Culture 69 44.
Page 71 and 72: 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
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93 60. Rabbi Yonatan and Mrs. Ina M
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95 accounting procedures require th
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97 Other individuals in Kyiv with w
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99 64. An organization bearing the
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101 group, but the young women them
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103 worked in Jewish schools and ca
Page 105 and 106:
105 Lo Tishkach arranges all travel
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107 Ukraine in this period. They cl
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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
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121 countries are eligible for aliy
Page 123 and 124:
123 The JDC welfare caseload in the
Page 125 and 126:
125 In response to a question, both
Page 127 and 128:
127 Commentary 84. The Jewish popul
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129 accommodates modernity and thei
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(Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Krivoi Rog, Donetsk, and Kyiv) Report of a ...

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