„The Head of the Jewish Community of Ukraine Speaks Out Against Putin.“
Soviet dissident and Freedom Prize winner Josef Zissels becomes a Ukrainian Jew.
In his support of the Maidan Revolution, the Ukrainian Jewish dissident Josef Zissels was out in front of other prominent Jews. Last March, he protested the Jewish Agency’s
decision to hold a conference in Kiev, citing the “assault on political and social rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens” under then-President Viktor Yanukovych.“ Ukraine is in turmoil and probably will be for some time. The high-stakes brinksmanship between Kiev and Vladimir Putin’s Russia escalated
this month when Putin sliced off a large chunk of sovereign Ukrainian territory, Crimea, while the United States and Europe did little or nothing to stop him. Some have suggested that Crimea
is the new Sudetenland and Putin the chief authoritarian menace of the 21st century. Ukraine’s Jewish community, which still numbers more than 100,000, has much to say about Ukraine’s
future, and Zissels is its most influential figure. He founded Ukraine’s first post-Soviet Jewish organization in 1988, and since 1991 he has been chair of the Vaad of Ukraine, the confederation
of Ukrainian Jewish organizations. He is currently vice president of the World Jewish Congress and, since 2002, chair of the General Council of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.
Dear visitors of our website, dear friends! We send you our best wishes on the occasion of the Jewish holiday – Pesach!
Pesach is believed to symbolize the Jewish people’s liberation from Egyptian slavery and salvation
given by G-d. However, this holiday has much broader meaning. Since only a community united as
a nation, only a people who managed to defeat the inner slave and set a clear goal in front, is capable
of overcoming all difficulties on the way of its achieving. Hence, Pesach is a symbol of inner aspirations
for change, a source of the truth, human and civil ideals.
In this difficult time may truth and hope never leave you, protecting you from losing the right path, helping you to live your life in dignity without fear and suffering.
We wish you and your family peace, harmony and also a tasty and kosher Seder!
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
The museum welcomed guests from the OSCE
On the 1st of April representatives of the OSCE, who are deployed to Ukraine in the framework of the Special Monitoring Mission, visited the Chernivtsi
Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews. Kathryn Hampton (Great Britain), Norman Spitzegger (Austria) and Kelsey Harris-Smith (USA) got to know
the permanent exhibition of the museum and talked to museum’s co-workers. Guests were interested in the history of Jewish community in Bukovina and its ties with
other national groups of the region. Obviously, the attention was also paid to the present political and social situation in the city and oblast. Museum’s employees shared
their opinion concerning last months’ events in Ukraine and in the region. They assured the monitors that the change of authority in Ukraine has not had negative
impact on museum’s work.
(click to enlarge)
March 2014
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues! We send you our best wishes on the occasion of the Jewish holiday Purim!
Purim holds a special place among of all Jewish holidays, since it is a symbol of the victory of good against evil, triumph of justice
as the greatest award for devotion to your people, best virtues, such as humaneness, honesty and resoluteness in the fight for the truth.
Let the good example of Esther and Mordechai give you enough power and strengthen your belief that all temporary problems and hardships
will be over soon and that any difficult situations may be resolved peacefully.
Let this spring, which always comes with Purim, greet you with warmth, joy, happiness,
the ringing noise of Purim spiel and inspiration for new achievements.
Chag Purim Sameach!
Best regards,
the team of the Chernivtsi Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews (Chernivtsi, Ukraine)
December 2013
Announcement
Dear friends!
On the 19th of December at 11 am the presentation of the project “Holocaust in History Class” will be held at the Chernivtsi Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
The project has been realized by the Chernivtsi Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews in 2013 thanks to the financial support of the German Embassy in Ukraine. The partners
of the project were Chernivtsi Jewish Socio-Cultural Fund and the Education Department of Chernvtsi city.
The project aimed at preparing didactic and exhibition materials on the topic “Holocaust in Bukovina” for teachers and students of schools in the city and oblast.
Representatives of institution, which has been fulfilling the project, its partners, teachers and other invited guests will take part in the presentation.
We would be happy to see you at this event!
For details please contact Anna Yamchuk (PR and Project Manager of the Museum): 099 027 14 39 or 55-06-66 .
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues! We send you our best wishes on the occasion of the great Jewish holiday – Hanukkah!
During this holiday lights are being kindled everywhere in the world. Not only represent they the old tradition, connected with heroism of the Maccabees and the rededication
of the Holy Temple, but they symbolize as well the indomitable Jewish spirit, unswerving belief and true honor of the ancestors’ testament.
Let the festive atmosphere of the coming holiday fill your soul with light and warmth and your heart with joy. May it remind you that the good always overcomes the evil.
We wish you, your families and friends, peace, well-fare, strength and energy that people need not only in struggle, but also in overcoming everyday problems and difficulties.
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
May 2013
Impressions of „Football against racism“
For the second time in a few months the Chernivtsi Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews was organising a project in cooperation with the Congress of national Minorities of Ukraine. In November 2012 we realized the project “Overcoming stereotypes together” and in April – May 2013 it was the project «Football against racism», initiated by the Congress and supported by the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation in Ukraine.
The concept: Two ethnically and religously mixed teams are playing together in a match that does not focus on who is going to win, but on playing together in a friendly atmosphere of understanding.
Frankly speaking, the concept, outlined above, is a brief explanation of the project as until the players met each other on the field on May 20th it had been a long and interesting way. The players themselves and many other young motivated people were gathering in our museum for several times to get to know each other, to discuss issues concerning racism and discrimination, to draw slogans against racism that should be used for the match and to develop music and dance performances for the halftime-breaks.
The amazing results were shown at the day of the match and now they are also shown in our photo album.
Honorable Guest at the Museum
On the 31st of May a famous scientist, Professor Bruno Lunenfeld visited Chernivtsi. Mr. Lunenfeld, known around the world for his contribution into the development of reproductive medicine, has Bukovinian roots – his grandparents lived in Sadhora (Sadagora) and they are buried at the cemetery there. That is why the visit to Chernivtsi was important and very meaningful for Mr. Lunenfeld.
Apart from an excursion around the city, visiting the former Friedman’s residence and a cemetery in Sadhora, Mr. Lunenfeld had a guided tour with Mr. Kushnir, our museum’s director, around its exhibition. It was impossible not to notice that images and objects presented at the museums deeply touched Mr. Lunenfeld. We were deeply touched ourselves by kind words of appreciation of the work done by the museum to preserve memories about the rich Jewish past. They encourage us to proceed with what we are doing now as so many pages of Jewish history in Bukovina are yet to be discovered and told to the world.
Announcement: Discovering History through the Camera.
In July 2013 the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews will organize a photography workshop "Discovering History through the Camera" for young people interested in photography.
The workshop will be held by the American professor, photographer Sylvia de Swaan. Mrs. De Swaan is visiting Ukraine realizing a project, which is called “RETURN, a sequel,” which is a second chapter of the series of photographs she made in the 1990s to retrace routes she and her family traveled as refugees from Bukowina at the end of the second World War. In the framework of this project Mrs. De Swaan wants to engage young people into the fascination of historical traces. 12 people will get the chance to get an insight of photography: learning about the art of seeing and giving meaning to a scene – what one includes or excludes, how close one gets, the quality of light and so on. During the time of the workshop, which will last for approximately one week, participants will take photos of historical sights in our city stressing the Jewish traces. Afterwards a small temporary exhibition is going to be prepared containing certain works of the participants.
In order to apply for the workshop, please, fill in the application form attached below and send it to e-mail: jm.chernivtsi@gmail.com
To download the application form:
Football against racism.
From the time of its foundation the Museum has been paying much attention to issues of inter-ethnic understanding, tolerance and harmony. In this tradition from the beginning of April a realization of a new project has been started. It is an initiative of the Congress of National Minorities of Ukraine which is called “Football against racism” and aims at getting youth’s attention to the problem of racial discrimination. The project will be held in four cities of Ukraine: Lviv, Mukachevo, Yalta and Chernivtsi. Our museum is responsible for the Chernivtsi part of the project. It will start on the 11th of April with a workshop for students of local universities. The football match, which will be held between two teems of players of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, is expected to be a very interesting and spectacular event. The date and the time of this match will be announced on the website later. Everyone who is interested in taking part in the football match or in the project in general is welcomed to address us either per phone 099-027-14-39 or per e-mail: jm.chernivtsi@gmail.com We will inform you about the further developments of the project.
March 2013
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues! We send you our best wishes on the occasion of the Jewish holiday – Pesach!
It is meaningful that Pesach is celebrated in spring, when everything around is awaking up from winter sleep and is getting filled with lively energy, with a desire for a new life. The main meaning of the holiday is freedom and renewal which are the greatest achievements of the long and hard way of Jewish people from Egypt slavery to the Promised Land.
Let’s appreciate and keep our freedom with respecting freedom of others as well!
We wish you and your family harmony, happiness, well-doing and a tasty Seder!
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
February 2013
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues! With all our heart we wish you just the best for the joyous holiday Purim!
From the story of Mordechai and Esther, who were protecting and saving their people, optimism and hope can be drawn. We hope that these warm thoughts are going to reach you and fill your heart, so that you will not only witness the happiness of these days, but you will feel it on your own.
Let yourself be amazed by the fun of celebration, the tasty dishes and the cheerful atmosphere!
Purim Sameach!
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
January 2013
Visit to Southern Bukovina.
On the 29th of January representatives of the Chernivtsi Museum of the History
and Culture of Bukovinian Jews paid a short visit to the town of Radautz (Romania).
The aim of this trip, which had been planned for a long time, but was repeatedly
postponed for different reasons, was getting to know the life of a local Jewish community and outstanding points of Jewish history and culture of the town.
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues!
In these short winter days, when the darkness covers the earth so fast, small lights appear in the windows of Jewish houses. They do not only bring a little bit of brightness into this world, but they also announce the coming of an important Jewish holiday - Hanukkah.
They remind us of the miracle of light in the Jerusalem Temple.
We sincerely send our best wishes on this holiday! May this festive light fill your heart with warmth and inspiration for new achievements! As the Jewish tradition proves, having belief and hope one can find the right way even through the thickest darkness.
Hanukkah sameah! Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
September 2012
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues!
With the sunset on the 29th of Elul the 5772nd year of the Jewish calendar will finish.
It was a year of life, filled with success and failures, hopes and worries, joy and sometimes with sorrow.
Shofar sounds, like hundreds-thousands of years ago, will notify us that a new year has come.
Use this time to thank G-d for everything good you have happened to meet on your life road during this year. For good people who are with you. And even for difficulties which make you stronger. Start a new page of the book of your life with belief and strength!
May this year be as sweet for you as honey apples on the Rosh-ha-Shana holiday table! Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
July 2012
From the 1st July 2012
an international volunteers' summer camp of the NGO ASF was held in Chernivtsi.
From the 1st till the 12th July 2012 an international volunteers' summer camp
of the NGO ASF (the Action Reconciliation Service for Peace) was held in Chernivtsi.
It's worth mentioning that the camp has already become traditional and traditionally
it was supported by the Museum of the history and culture of the Bukovinian Jews.
Dear visitors!
We are happy to inform you that from the 22nd of May the museum is open for visitors as usual.
Dear visitors! From the 8th of may till the 22th of may the museum is closed for visiting
as works on installation of ventilation equipment are being carried out at the moment.
We sincerely apologise for inconveniences!
April 2012
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues!
A great Jewish holiday, Pesach, is coming!
Pesach is the holiday of liberation, spring and renewal. It is celebrated on the occasion
of the event which was the Rubicon in the history of Jewish people – exodus from Egypt slavery.
At that time the spirit of freedom overcame all fears before hardships on the way to the Promised Land.
May the memory about your freedom-loving ancestors fill you with patience,
fortitude and power to defeat al difficult life situations!
Our sincere congratulations on the holiday! May you be in a festive mood!
We wish you family warmth, a tasty and kosher seder!
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
A new educational project in the museum In April, 2012 the Chernivtsi Museum of the History and Culture
of Bukovinian Jews in a partnership with the Department of Education of the Chernivtsi City Council on the funds
of a municipal grant has launched a new project – “Overcoming stereotypes together”. The project aims to promote the strengthening of the atmosphere
of mutual understanding, respect and tolerance and at the same time to prevent possible outbreaks of xenophobia
and interethnic hostility. Participants of the project (senior students of Chernivtsi high schools) will conduct
certain research work during April – August 2012. In particular, they will learn about the influence of different
ethnic groups for the development of the city in the past and they will get to know how the organized national
lives of representatives of different ethnic communities in Chernivtsi look like today. The outcomes of the project will be represented in an exhibition
that will be shown both in schools and galleries of the city. The display of Chernivtsi students will be enlarged
by the exhibition “Together”, prepared by the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine (Kyiv) about lives of
representatives of small national groups and ethnic communities in Ukraine.
We will inform visitors of our website about the course of the project and its outcomes.
March 2012
Honorable Guests in the Museum.
On Saturday, the 24th of March the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews was honored to
have special guests – Dr Hans-Juergen Heimsoeth, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of
the Federative Republic of Germany to Ukraine, and his wife. Undertaking an official visit to Chernivtsi,
the Ambassador and his wife took a tour around the museum, showing true interest in its permanent exhibition,
and met the museum’s team.
Dear visitors of our website! Dear friends and colleagues!
We sincerely congratulate you on the bright, boisterous, joyous holiday – Purim!
Through ages we keep the memory about the events, described in the Megillat Esther,
as evidence that faithfulness and devotionto your nation can overcome deceitfulness, hatred and intrigues.
May this wonderful holiday fill you with optimism and belief that the darkest clouds of sorrow and unhappiness
might be blown away by the warm spring wind!
Best wishes,
The team of the Museum of the History and Culture of Bukovinian Jews.
Soviet dissident and Freedom Prize winner Josef Zissels becomes a Ukrainian Jew.
