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

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44 diverse Jewish community programs and thus welcomes programs of the Jewish Agency, Israel Culture Center, and certain other groups, she continued. 42 The Jewish Agency will move its local offices and program space to the Menorah Center when that structure is ready for occupation, said Ms. Zbarzhevsky. Rabbi Kaminezki would like the entire Jewish population to be represented in that building – and the Jewish Agency needs to be with the rest of the Jewish population. 25. Nativ was established in the 1950’s as the Lishkat Hakesher (Liaison Office) by the then Prime Minister of Israel to operate covertly among the Jewish population of the then Soviet Union, maintaining contacts and assisting immigration of Soviet Jews to Israel. Although the rationale for its maintenance in the post-Soviet era has been questioned, it continues to exist under the influence of Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel and is responsible today for managing Israeli consulates in the post-Soviet states; in that capacity, it issues Israeli visas to new immigrants. It also operates Israel Culture Centers (attached to consulates) in a number of cities with significant Jewish populations. The Israeli consul in Dnipropetrovsk, said that the local Israel Culture Center sponsors various programs related to Israeli culture, including an Israel cinema club, and also offers Hebrew ulpan classes 43 , a Jewish women’s club, and seminars on Israeli business. Its major youth activities are sponsorship of adapted Israeli Scout groups among local teenagers and various sports clubs. In cooperation with other Israel Culture Centers in Ukraine, it sponsors two Taglit (birthright Israel) trips to Israel annually, along with Taglit follow-up programs. Nativ sponsors its own Masa program, offering a number of different courses of study free of copayments at Ariel College in Samaria (the West Bank). A participant in the Israeli Scout group tries a ropes course at a Scout encampment on an island in the Dnipr River in nearby Zaporizhya. Photo: Chabad of Dnipropetrovsk. 42 In the past, Rabbi Kaminezki’s tolerance for different expressions of Judaism has not extended to non- Orthodox interpretations of the Jewish faith. Other Jewish religious groups exploring a possible presence in the city have been made to feel unwelcome. 43 Unlike the Jewish Agency, which charges fees for its ulpan classes, the ICC ulpan is cost-free to participants. However, Jewish Agency ulpans include Jewish identity components and are viewed by most observers as providing a superior level of Hebrew-language instruction.
45 The consul noted that the ICC will work with almost any Jewish affinity group in the area, including those rejected by the synagogue because some or all of its members are not halachic Jews. A number of different Jewish organizations use the ICC large multi-purpose room for their own meetings and/or social activities. 26. Esther Katz, an Israeli, is the new director of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (Joint, JDC) in Dnipropetrovsk, replacing Amir Ben-Tzvi who has been transferred to Kyiv. 44 Ms. Katz stated that Joint provides welfare services to 7,000 Jewish elderly in the city through Hesed Menachem. 45 Additionally, said Ms. Katz, JDC provides various forms of assistance – welfare, psychological, legal, vocational, and instruction in childcare – to 510 at-risk Jewish families. About 120 special needs children and youth rotate in various groups according to disability and age through Hesed Menachem, each group coming to the hesed one day every one to two weeks for programs geared to their specific needs. In addition to Dnipropetrovsk clients, Joint provides assistance to additional Jews who live in smaller cities and towns. 46 Esther Katz, left, a veteran JDC professional, is in her first year of fieldwork in Dnipropetrovsk. Photo: the writer. In response to a question, Ms. Katz estimated the Jewish population in the city at 50,000 to 60,000 people according to the Israeli Law of Return, that is, individuals with at least one Jewish grandparent and thus eligible for citizenship in Israel. Emigration of Jews from the Dnipropetrovsk area is high and generally removes those individuals who are more actively engaged Jewishly from the community; those who remain, said Ms. Katz, are less like to be committed to Jewish peoplehood and Jewish continuity. Further, she continued, the rate of intermarriage is very high and is a deterrent to local leadership development; individuals with diluted Jewish identity are unlikely to be interested in volunteer work on behalf of the Jewish community. Answering another query, Ms. Katz said that JDC continues to operate family camps as part of its Jewish renewal agenda. Joint partially subsidizes these programs, but all participants pay at least a portion of the cost. About 1200 families from nine cities in the Dnipropetrovsk region have taken part in such workshops, which usually are held at resorts. Although JDC had once been optimistic that participants would become community leaders, it is now recognized that few are eager to assume leadership roles; 44 See pages 123-124 for an account of an interview with Mr. Ben-Tzvi in Kyiv. 45 See pages 28-29 for information about Hesed Menachem in Dnipropetrovsk. 46 See pages 84-85 for information about JDC services in Krivoi Rog.
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 and 42: 41 Natalia Rier, who directs the lo
Page 43: 43 speakers are fluent in English a
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
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 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
Page 129:
129 accommodates modernity and thei
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