Final Reflections on Ukraine

At first, it’s what you expect: you can still find the Soviet-made Lada automobiles, the Soviet style projects and giant monuments. You are in the Former Soviet Union and you get to feel the remnants of the past.

Next to the cheap underground tunnels connecting the large Avenues stand Chanel, Zara, Mango and a bustling modern mall called Gulliver, easily rivaling with a fancy mall in the U.S. At the end of the Avenue, a large sign”Freedom is our Religion!” adorns a public square.

You are in Kiev in 2017, you can use Uber and it will not cost much, wifi is ubiquitous and you are not in a war zone. The synagogues and churches are beautiful tourist sites and you can find all the food you want! Who knew there was even a Kosher food truck in Ukraine? But, as the picture suggests, you feel the patriotic tension.





One evening, after a local kindly took a group picture of us, we responded with the Russian word spassiba (thank you), we heard “spassiba niet, dyakuyu.” (dyakuyu means thank you in Ukrainian). In the airport terminal, there is an exhibit of military art with a chauvinistic narrative (see picture below). In Ukraine, every word and picture matters, political tension is omnipresent. So much that our local friends told us that they simply avoid talking politics, they cannot stand it anymore.

This is Ukraine in 2017, but these are just first impressions. On this trip, we had the opportunity to fully connect with the local Jewish community, learning first hand from locals and in particular young leaders of the Jewish community. I found a young community eager to connect to its heritage and Israel, they are thirsty for it!

A defining moment of our trip was when we had the chance to participate in a Jewish Agency for Israel Summer camp.  The Jewish Agency operates summer camps at 26 locations across the Former Soviet Union, with over 8,300 participants this summer.

As we were having lunch over Israeli food, we learned that for Aleksander, sitting right across from me, this is his second experience at a Jewish Agency summer camp. He looks forward to it. He told us he did not know he was Jewish before and how his experience in camp inspired him to connect to his Jewish heritage.

For many, it’s a grandparent who suggested the camp experience for a  grandchild and it is so often the start of a journey  - a Jewish Journey. For some, the first time they defined themselves as ‘Jewish’ is at our camp.

We also met with Anna Zamarina who told us that she too, did not know she was Jewish until she was 13. When her mother called her on her third day of a Jewish Agency camp she told her she was too busy preparing for Shabbat. Now, Anna inspires others and comes back to camp as a madricha (counselor) summer after summer.

There was also Alex (picture, lower left) whom I sat next to during one of the camp activities. Alex is only 14 but he knows that next year, he will move to Israel on a Jewish Agency program for high school students. His older sister already moved to Israel and he decided to start preparing his way to Israel by studying Hebrew in a Jewish Agency Ulpan (Intensive Hebrew classes) in Ukraine. Alex knew he was Jewish, but there was not much practice in his home; for him, camp was the anchor experience that fostered his Aliyah of choice

In addition to our camp visit, we also spent a meaningful afternoon meeting other young Jews from Ukraine that are exploring their Jewish identity and connection in different ways. During that visit, a particularly exciting moment was to bless our Olim, those getting ready to move to Israel. Anna (picture below in the center) is originally from Tajikistan and 30. She will move with her family to Haifa and transition professionally to build a better future for her children.

As we blessed our olim, we were given a virtual tour of Kiev by young Ukrainians who are exploring the Jewish and Zionistic heritage of the capital on a Jewish Agency program called Kiev Explorer. We also met with young leaders who came back from Jewish Agency sponsored programs such as Birthright or Masa Israel (long term Israel experiences), they shared with us how their Israel experience informed who they are today.

Whether those young people stay in Ukraine to become leaders or move to Israel, there is a renaissance and pride of Jewish life in this part of Ukraine.

As we left for Israel, we could not help but think that we started in Babi Yar, a mass grave of Jewish lost lives and we left by visiting a Jewish summer camp with so much hope. As we were saying lehitrao’t (good bye), some campers exchanged whatsapp messages with our colleagues and even hugged!  A bond was created and wherever we were from we felt we were all part of a global Jewish journey!