Participants of the "Ukrainian Week" which took place from February 3 to 8 in Washington, were religious leaders of Ukraine, members of the Verkhovna Rada and US officials. The Jewish Confederation of Ukraine at Ukrainian Week was represented by the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine, Rabbi Yakov Dov Bleich, and the Director of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, Inna Ioffe.
Among other exciting events there was a visit to the Soeacker of the US Congress Mike Johnson as well as a joint prayer in the Ukrainian House for peace in Ukraine and Israel and for peace around the world.
"Together we prayed for Ukraine, for our people and our defenders, for a strong world and for the determination of the American authorities in establishing it," wrote the Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA, Oksana Markarova, after participating in the prayer.
The audience was also addressed by, Ukrainian military men and women who are in the United States for prosthetics and rehabilitation, Lviv resident Yaroslav Bazylevich, who lost his wife and three daughters as a result of the Russian missile strike on Lviv on September 2, and Daniel Lifshitz, Israeli citizen, the grandson of Hamas hostages.
Lifshitz's participation in the Ukrainian Week was organized by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine to announce the connection between two tragedies: Russia's war against Ukraine and the attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel.
Daniel shared the story of his grandparents, who were kidnapped by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The house of 85-year-old Oded Lifshitz and his wife Yocheved was burned down by militants. Yocheved, 86, was released after 17 days of captivity, but Oded is still being held hostage in Gaza.
