Commentary
85. The protest
movement on Maidan square in central Kyiv, which began in November of 2013,
launched a revolutionary phase in Ukraine that has not yet concluded. The tens
of thousands of people who gathered from one day to the next demanded, and continue
to demand, a civil society in Ukraine. Their dreams for the Ukrainian future
include individual rights, a free press, free assembly and voluntary
organization, the rule of law, mutual respect and tolerance, and a market
economy. Many Ukrainians articulated a vision of Ukraine as a mid-size
European country, sharing the values, culture, and sophistication of western
nation-states.
As neighboring Russia
expressed discomfort with the direction of protest in Kyiv (and several other
Ukrainian cities), the sense of Ukrainian sovereignty and solidarity grew. Russian
annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine only fortified the
mood of Ukrainian estrangement from Russia. Although it is unlikely that
Vladimir Putin intended to strengthen Ukrainian national unity, his actions
have done just that.
86. Every Jewish
person in Ukraine with whom the writer spoke identified strongly with a new Ukraine.
Many of them now describe themselves as Ukrainian Jews, rather than Jews
who live in Ukraine. (As stated earlier, the identification issue stems from the
era of Soviet internal passports or identity cards in which holders were
required to disclose their nationality. An individual of Jewish
ethnicity was considered Jewish by nationality and was not permitted to
identify his/her nationality as Ukrainian, Russian, etc.) The current sense of
Ukrainian Jewish identity is strong even among those whose primary language is
Russian. However, the bond with Ukraine does not mean that all Ukrainian Jews
will remain in Ukraine.
87. Antisemitism
exists in Ukraine, antisemitism always has existed in Ukraine, and antisemitism
always will exist in Ukraine, one Kyiv professional told the writer. However,
without exception, the many Jews with whom the writer spoke blamed Russia for
instigating recent antisemitic episodes that gained international publicity;
the Russians, they said, are trying to disparage Ukraine with charges of
fascism and antisemitism. Jews and many other Ukrainians acknowledge the presence
of antisemitic elements in several minority political parties and in several
quasi- independent Ukrainian military units fighting Russian separatists in
eastern Ukraine, but believe that these manifestations of anti-Jewish bigotry
are not serious, can be contained, and can be eliminated in the future.
88. The economy of
Ukraine is in dire condition. Inflation is high, 30 to 50 percent in some
spheres, eroding the value of salaries and pensions. The value of the
Ukrainian hryvnia has declined severely against western currency, thus
raising the cost of imports, including vital medicines. As businesses close or
downsize, unemployment grows.
Budgets require
adjustments almost as soon as they are written. Organizations that collect
user fees find that many would-be participants require even greater subsidies
or are unable to participate in programs. Philanthropy has collapsed. Most
individuals with whom the writer spoke recognize that the road to economic
well-being will be long and difficult, dependent upon commercial and industrial
development, an end to corruption, implementation of a just legal system, and
termination of Russian inter-vention.
89. To date, hasidic
Judaism has been the public face of Judaism within Ukraine (and neighboring
countries). Most hasidic rabbis are respected, but most Jewish population
centers cry out for additional Jewish program options. Young adult Jews seem
reasonably well served by Hillel, Jewish Agency leadership development
activities, Moishe House, and Limmud. The Progressive and Conservative
movements are growing in certain cities, even as hasidic rabbis attempt to constrain
them in others and international financial support remains limited.
90. A non-rabbinic indigenous
professional leadership class is developing among hesed directors and
departmental managers, directors-general for several rabbis, directors-general
for a few oligarch-led Jewish organizations, and directors of Hillel student
organizations. Managers of Jewish Agency representations and summer camps also
are exercising professional responsibilities. Project Kesher has trained many
women who have proved competent in communal leadership. Perhaps most promising
for the future of Ukrainian Jewry and for the Jewish world in general is the
emergence of younger leaders from Jewish Agency leadership programs and
projects, Hillel, Moishe House, and Limmud. One also might look to the
protests on Maidan, where young Ukrainian Jews assumed disproportionate responsibility
for assisting the wounded and organizing medical care abroad.
The continuing
nurturing of indigenous Jewish professional leadership is essential to the
future of Ukrainian Jewry in order to strengthen local Jewish identification
with Jewish organizations and to reduce dependency on imported Israeli staff. Also,
employment of the latter is increasingly difficult to sustain for reasons of
expense and a diminishing pool of appropriate candidates who wish to reside in
Ukraine.
91. Development of responsible
indigenous lay leadership is much more problematic, in part because the
concept of lay leadership is little understood and can be advanced only with a
certain level of insincerity and even duplicity as long as foreigners in
distant countries continue to control Jewish communal policy and programs in
Ukraine. Equally, oligarch leaders prefer to operate their organizations as
one-man shows without sharing leadership, including fundraising obligations,
with others.
92. Notwithstanding
these and other barriers - such as a host of fundraising issues - Ukrainian
Jews engaged in Jewish communal activity express strong sentiment for independence
from JDC and Chabad. The notion that they are being patronized by foreign
Jewish organizations is widespread among communally-involved Jews.
93. Emigration to
Israel has increased significantly during the current political/economic crisis
in Ukraine. Driven by uncertainty about the future in a seemingly unstable
country, mobile young adults and young families are among the most likely Jews
to depart. They are leaving behind an older population that will require
support from a diminishing pool of younger, active adults.
Betsy Gidwitz
Chicago, Illinois
October 20, 2014
Unless otherwise indicated, all
photographs and translations are by the writer.
Modified Ukrainian orthography
generally is favored over Russian orthography.
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