Jewish communities are the main instrument for the preservation and development of Jewish life in the post-Soviet countries. A study of the situation in the Jewish community shows that the main determining factor is not so much the geography or religion but involvement in the life of the community. This was stated by the CEO of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Haim Ben Yaakov, during the Kyiv Jewish Forum 2020.
“The Institute, established in our Congress, serves to provide the leaders of international Jewish organizations with solutions and analysis of the situation in the Jewish world. Among the most important conclusions that I can mention is that Jewish communities are the main instrument for the preservation and development of Jewish life in the post-Soviet countries,” explained Haim Ben Yaakov.
In particular, the Institute encourages Jewish leaders and communities to pay special attention to targeted programs for youth and middle-aged people. According to Haim Ben Yaakov, education is extremely important for shaping Jewish identity and “attracting the uninvolved but interested Jews and their family members, including Israeli citizens living outside the state of Israel.”
“What is Jewry in our time? In Western countries, this is religion; in Israel, this is what we call Israeli civil and national identity, plus religion. In the countries of the former USSR, it has always been ethnicity. It has always been the origin, genetic origin from the Jewish parents, this is historical memory, this is culture, this is the awareness of oneself as a Jew,” commented the EAJC CEO.
But research has shown that in the second and third generations of mixed families, including non-Jewish wives, people associate themselves with the Jewish people.
“The factor of this identification may not even be so much the origin, but participation in the community activities. Therefore, the community today is a factor of not only representation, but also of structuring of the Jewish community in the former USSR countries,” stressed Haim Ben Yaakov.
Earlier at the Kyiv Jewish Forum 2020, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin stated that Ukraine was one of the cradles of Jewish civilization and played an important role in the contemporary Jewish world.
As a reminder, the second annual Kyiv Jewish Forum, organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, was held on September 8-9 online. The first forum took place in 2019 in Kyiv, bringing together over 500 participants and guests from around the world.