From Jewish Life in Independent Ukraine: Fifteen Years After the Soviet Collapse (Part 1): Some 100,000-200,000 Jews live in contemporary Ukraine. The Jewish population is in rapid demographic decline due to a low birthrate, intermarriage, and assimilation. Jewish community life is organized and maintained mainly by foreigners. Popular anti-Semitism is increasing, reflecting Ukrainian nationalism, anti-Jewish propaganda stemming from the Middle East conflict, and inflammatory articles and conferences organized by the Interrregional Academy of Personnel Management (MAUP).
Read More +Ukrainian President Not Going to Israel
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From Ukrainian President Not Going to Israel. Here’s why: Israeli authorities have declined Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s request to visit Israel for Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes Remembrance Day on April 16. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has asked Kiev several times to coordinate a time for an official visit, but the timeframe has shifted repeatedly. Two weeks ago, Yushchenko sent a request to visit during the observance. According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Yushchenko intended to use his visit to draw parallels between the Jewish Holocaust and the Ukrainian Holodomor, the famine of 1932-1933. Kiev holds that the artificial famine was
Read More +Three Orthodox Jews attacked in Ukraine
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Received by email with no link, JTA Breaking News:———-Elhanan Shershevsky, an Israeli teacher at a Kiev synagogue, and two other Orthodox Jews, all in traditional Orthodox garb, were attacked Dec. 10 not far from Kiev’s main synagogue. The incident was not reported to the media for a week. According to witnesses, 10 young men hit the three Jews and a passer-by who tried to stop the attackers. Shershevsky suffered injuries and a concussion. The two other Jews were able to escape and call police. Police are investigating but no arrests have been reported. Yaakov Dov Bleich, chief rabbi of Kiev
Read More +Ukrainian Jewish lawmaker Alexander Feldman called on the authorities to stop the sale of antisemitic literature, such as the notorious tsarist-era forgery, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” in the country’s parliament, the Russian Jewish web site Jewish.ru reported earlier this month. Feldman charged that the publications got into the parliament illegally, due to pressures exerted by “some lawmakers.” He said he would raise the issue at an upcoming parliamentary session and during a forthcoming visit to Ukraine of members of the European Parliament. Jewish.ru also cited Feldman’s listing antisemitic titles sold in the parliamentary bookstore, including publications by
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