• Feature Interviews – with artists, authors, acti vists, and other interesting people
• Ukrainian Jewish Heritage –exploring Ukraine’s rich Jewish history
• Knyzhka Corner – Myra Junyk reviews books on Ukrainian themes in English
• Victor’s Vignettes – personal recollections of soviet and post soviet life by the late Victory Sergeyev of Mykolaiv, Ukraine
Hannukah starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, and lasts for eight days. This year on the Gregorian calendar it starts on November 27 and ends on-December 5. Hannukah is a joyous holiday, celebrated every year by Jews around the world with the lighting of candles on the Menora. TraditionalHannukah treats include hot […]
In her novel, Blood and Salt, Barbara Sapergia explores the internment of Ukrainian-Canadians during the First World War. Taras Kalyna, a 20-year old Ukrainian-Canadian immigrant in rural Saskatchewan, is torn from his family and friends and sent to the Banff-Castle Mountain internment camp in Alberta. Along with over 8000 prisoners (mostly Ukrainian), Taras must survive
Klezmer music … it’s instantly recognizable, yet almost impossible to define. It’s a unique sound with a heritage deeply rooted in the shtetls, the Jewish villages of Eastern Europe. The term klezmer is derived from the Hebrew roots “kli-zemer” or “vessel of song.” It reflects the ancient Jewish belief that a musician is not really
Yaroslav Dashkevych was a prominent Ukrainian historian, and one of the founding members of the Scientific Center of Judaica and Jewish art. In a time of rapid devaluation of national values (which is how we can characterize the latest decade of our history), Dashkevych was a significant role model for thousands of people. He was
One of Galicia’s few klezmer musicians to survive the Holocaust was Leopold Kozlowski. Known as the last klezmer of Galicia, he is a passionate promoter of klezmer. Now 95, he lives in Krakow, Poland where he teaches klezmer to non-Jewish students. Klezmer is a traditional Jewish non-liturgical music with roots in Galicia. Like other folk
James Temerty is a distinguished Canadian entrepreneur, civic leader, and philanthropist, and founder of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter. Well-known and respected for his vision, initiative and servant leadership, James Temerty has received many honours for his achievements. He was born in the Donbas region of Ukraine during WWII. His parents were deported to Germany as
As the Jewish High Holy Days draw to a close, the focus of the Jewish community shifts from the solemnity of Yom Kippur to the jubilant celebration of the festival of Sukkoth. In the Jewish diaspora Sukkoth is an eight-day festival beginning on the fifth day after Yom Kippur. Sukkath is also known as the
Audio review and interview with Myra … as heard on Nash Holos August 11, 2013 Anthology explores realities of memory and today’s Ukraine Review by Myra Junyk Crossing the Border, Ksenia Rychtycka’s first anthology of short stories, explores the lives of Ukrainians in Ukraine and in other countries. Her poignant stories focus on family relationships,
In the Jewish faith, Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur, or Soodny Den’in Ukrainian, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for Jews, as the focus is on atonement and repentance. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days … or in Hebrew, Yamim Nora’im, meaning “Days
Bequest is the first novel by Ukrainian-born British writer Anna Shevchenko. It is April 2001, and two people separated by thousands of miles are both exploring an 18th century legend claiming that Hetman Polubotko hid a vast fortune of Cossack gold (estimated to be worth 270 billion pounds) in a London bank. There are two
