2020 played an important role in restoring Ukrainian Jewish historical memory, - Lozhkin

The past year was marked by a number of events that played a major role in the life of the Ukrainian Jewish community. The President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin writes about this in the Jerusalem Post, summing up the results of 2020.

Lozhkin names several key events of the past year, including holding online the largest in the history of Ukraine Kyiv Jewish Forum-2020. We were able to bring thought-provoking discussions and inspiring speeches by global leaders to the homes of over 83,000 people worldwide, Lozhkin wrote.

The President of the JCU also notes signing the historic memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center (BYHMC) and the Government of Ukraine, which includes the constructions of a Babyn Yar Memorial Synagogue and Holocaust Memorial Center in 2021.

"The document was signed in the presence of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, which indicates support for the project at the highest level. This is paramount not only to Ukraine but to the global Jewish community," - notes the JCU President.

Lozhkin marks one more JCU initiative implemented in 2020 - a Ukrainian Jewry Research Initiative has been launched in partnership with Tel Aviv University.

"Through the innovative lens of distinguishing the Ukrainian Jewish community from the perceived monolith of "Soviet Jewry, - the initiative will coordinate scholarship networks in Israel and abroad to encourage academic research on the history and culture of Ukrainian Jews," - shared Lozhkin the details.

He also noted the continuation of one of the largest JCU projects - The Righteous of My City initiative to perpetuate the memory of Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Holocaust"

As part of this project, Lozhkin writes, the JCU is working on identifying the people who saved Jews during the Holocaust and renaming streets, squares and parks in the cities and villages of Ukraine after a local Righteous citizen.

"When Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, few Jews remained in the country, anti-Semitism was thriving, and many doubted there was a future for the Jewish community. But today, we are witnessing a true renaissance of Jewish life in Ukraine", -  Lozhkin wrote.

As a reminder, it has been reported earlier that during the Kyiv Jewish Forum 2020, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called Ukraine "one of the cradles of Jewish civilization."