In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Stanislav Aseyev’s, In Isolation – Dispatches from Occupied Donbas. In Isolation – Dispatches from Occupied Donbas, translated by Lidia Wolanskyj and published by the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, outlines the experiences of journalist and patriot Stanislav Aseyev as he faces repression, war, captivity, and torture in Donbas. He spent more than a year in a prison “for exceptionally dangerous persons” in the city of Donetsk until he was released in a prisoner swap in December 2019. His experiences in his native Donetsk give readers a window into the complicated realities of life in Donetsk after the Russian occupation of 2014. “The essays are an attempt to comprehend not just the Soviet past but its latest transformation in Moscow’s massive propaganda war. After all, the challenges that Ukrainian society has faced on the territory of the Donbas with the start of the war are not exclusively a problem for Ukrainians: the mechanisms of lies and disinformation that I bring up in my writing are used in a variety of forms in many wars around the world – military, informational, and hybrid.” (p. xiv) The book begins with a chronology […]
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Ukrainian Jewish Heritage: Jars Balan on Holodomor reports by Canadian journalist Rhea Clyman (Part 1)
Rhea Clyman is a journalist who is little known today in the Jewish or Ukrainian communities, or for that matter, by Canadians in general. But in her day she reached international acclaim for her coverage of the Soviet Union, including the 1932-33 man-made Ukrainian famine known as the Holodomor, and the rise of Nazi Germany. Jars Balan is the director of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta where he is also the coordinator of the Kule Ukrainian Canadian Studies Center. During his research on the Holodomor, Jars stumbled onto Rhea’s reports. He was instantly intrigued by her story and began to research her life and work. He has since spoken about Rhea Clyman extensively, and is currently working her biography. He kindly agreed to tell us about his work, as well as the work of this remarkable Jewish Canadian journalist. Pawlina: Jars, thank you so much for joining us. Jars Balan: Thank you for having me. Pawlina: Now… Rhea Clyman, I just recently found out about her. How did you find out about her? I mean, it was during your research, but was there something specific? Because I had done a lot of research, although not […]
Continue readingUkrainian Jewish Heritage Book Review: Rebbe
In this edition of Ukrainian-Jewish Heritage, we will be discussing Joseph Telushkin’s biography, Rebbe – The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, The Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History. Rebbe examines the life and teachings of one of the most prominent and respected Jewish scholars of our time. Born in 1902 in Nikolayev in southern Ukraine, Schneerson came to lead the powerful Jewish organization named Chabad. He spent most of his life in a small synagogue in Crown Heights Brooklyn, but he was very influential in both the United States and Israel. He advised prominent world leaders and ordinary citizens alike, and encouraged them to lead more meaningful and selfless lives. He became, “A Rebbe for the New World.” (p. 3) His primary aim as spiritual leader for over forty years was to work tirelessly to become “a global ambassador for Judaism.” (p. 5) Just a few months after his death in 1994, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest American award granted to a civilian. His humility, hard work, and innovative leadership had an extraordinary impact not only on Jews, but also on non-Jews. He preached unconditional love for all Jews and widely expanded […]
Continue readingKnyzhka Corner Book Review: Putin’s War on Ukraine
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Samuel Ramani’s book Putin’s War on Ukraine – Russia’s Campaign for Global Counter-Revolution. Published in 2023, Samuel Ramani’s Putin’s War on Ukraine is a comprehensive analysis of the causes, events, and impacts of Putin’s “special operation.” The very first sentence of this book is a stark reminder of how Putin’s war on Ukraine began, “On 24 February 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation aimed at the ‘demilitarization and denazification’ of Ukraine.’ (p. 1) The first chapter outlines the structure of Ramani’s book. The next three chapters discuss the history of Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. They explain the Russian efforts to overturn the Euro-Maidan Revolution and prop up the government of Victor Yanukovich, the subsequent Russian takeover of Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine, and the runup to Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The next three chapters outline the inadequacies of Russia’s military forces, its losses and successes on the battlefield, and the results of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. The final chapters describe the results of Putin’s failed invasion, the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy, and […]
Continue readingKnyzhka Corner: Holodomor in Ukraine – The Genocidal Famine 1932-1933
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Valentina Kuryliw’s Holodomor in Ukraine – The Genocidal Famine 1932-1933. Holodomor in Ukraine provides, “Learning Materials for Teachers and Students,” but any reader would learn a great deal from this resource, which is a thorough examination of the Holodomor in Ukraine during the years 1932-1933. It does not pretend to be “a narrative or a comprehensive account of all aspects of the Holodomor,” but it does provide a great deal of detail about causes, events, timelines, and the results of this horrific episode in Ukrainian history. Valentina Kuryliw originally created this resource for her workshop, “The Unknown Genocide: The Holodomor in Ukraine 1932-33,” which she presented at the Ontario History and Social Studies Teachers’ Association Conference in 2008. It includes materials for teachers to use in their classrooms such as: primary resources, lesson plans, background information, timelines, and learning activities. Taking a cross-curricular approach, Kuryliw has developed a very useful resource which can be used across Canada and the United States at a variety of grade levels. The resource is divided into four sections: introduction, learning resources, learning activities, and appendix. Each section is full of information essential to a […]
Continue readingKnyzka Corner Book Review: Firebird
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Glen Huser’s novel, Firebird. Fourteen-year old Alex Kaminsky and his older brother Marco live with their Uncle Andrew on an Alberta farm. Marco is a talented artist, but he decides he must find work with a threshing crew in September 1915. One night in early December, Alex’s uncle drinks too much moonshine and falls into a deep sleep. During the night, the house catches fire and he perishes. Alex is badly burned but manages to get out of the house. His neighbours, the Wallaces, take him home to nurse him back to health. As he recovers, he remembers the tragedy of his family journey to Canada, and the deaths of his parents in Hamburg. “The medicine hadn’t helped. Both he and Marco had tried desperately to nurse them, but Mama slipped away first and three days later Tato closed his eyes for the last time.” (p. 25) When the Wallace family learns about the death of their oldest son Robin, who was fighting in Europe, they are devastated. Suddenly, Alex feels as if some of the family is blaming him for Robin’s death, just because he came from Eastern Europe […]
Knyzhka Corner Book Review: Winterkill
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s novel, Winterkill. Winterkill examines the experience of Ukrainians during the Holodomor of the 1930’s. The narrative describes the conscious choice of Russian Soviet authorities to starve Ukrainian farmers and their families in order to impose Stalin’s five-year plan. “It was supposed to modernize the Soviet Union but actually hurt people like us. He was taking away our farms and making them into one big collective farm – the kolkhoz.” (p. 3) Twelve-year old Nyl lives with his family in the village of Felivka, near Kharkiv in Soviet Ukraine. It is 1930, and Soviet authorities are visiting farms to catalogue the possessions of Ukrainian farmers. One day, two strangers from Canada appear. Alice is a Young Pioneer, and her father works for the Soviets. They have come all the way from Canada to implement Soviet plans to collectivize farms. Alice tells Nyl, “We’re helping with the drive to get people signed up for the kolkhozes.” (p. 4) As the pair catalogue all his family’s possessions, Nyl realizes nothing will ever be the same. The brutal collectivization process continues, and everything is questioned – religion, family, beliefs, education, individual […]
Continue readingKnyzhka Corner Audio Bookshelf: Canada and the Ukrainian Crisis
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Canada and the Ukrainian Crisis by Bohdan Kordan and Mitchell Dowie. Canada and the Ukrainian Crisis examines how Canada supported Ukraine after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014. This bilateral relationship has continued to evolve as it adapts to the changing realities in Ukraine, “We acknowledge that the world is increasingly defined by rapid and significant change, and that Russia’s attempt at rewriting the international rules of the road represents a particular challenge to Canada’s interests.” (p. x) Since 1991 when Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union, Canada has had a close relationship with Ukraine. Under both Liberal and Conservative governments, Canada provided Ukraine with economic and political aid. However, in 2014 under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, there was a significant change in support. “Responding to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Prime Minister Stephen Harper took measures expressing Canada’s solidarity with the new Ukrainian government while demonstrating Canada’s disapproval of and opposition to Russia’s actions.” (p.3) The Harper government’s statements and actions were both “candid” and “bellicose” in their response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Kordan and Dowie’s Canada and the […]
Continue readingRosh Hashana 2022 and the Uman Pilgrimage
Transcript: Rosh Hashana is the name for the Jewish New Year. In Hebrew it means the “head of the year.” Rosh Hashanah is one of the most important religious holidays for Jews. It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25. Rosh Hashanah marks the first day of the “Ten Days of Repentance” which end with Yom Kippur. In Israel, Rosh Hashanah is observed for only one day. Diaspora Jews carry on the celebrations into a second day. The date for Rosh Hashanah changes each year as the Jewish calendar is based on the lunar year. Rosh Hashanah for the Hebrew Year 5783 begins on the Gregorian calendar at sundown on Sunday, September 25 2022 and ends at nightfall on Tuesday, September 27 2022. Rosh Hashana remembers the creation of the world. It’s a time for continuous introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and making plans to do better in the new year… to do Teshuvah – returning to the paths of the Almighty. The biblical name for Rosh Hashanah is Yom Teruah, which means “day of shouting or blasting.” Rosh Hashana is also called the Feast of the Trumpets, […]
Continue readingKnyzka Corner Book Review: The Woman at the Gates
In this edition of Knyzka Corner, we will be discussing Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s historical novel, The Woman at the Gates. The Woman at the Gates begins in the summer of 1945 in Bavaria. Antonia, her sister Lena, and her two nephews are recovering after their harrowing experiences in World War II. They have fond memories of their Ukrainian village of Sadovyi Hai, but they also remember the horrific days of struggle under the Soviet and Nazi regimes. Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s poignant novel is a brutally realistic portrayal of a Ukrainian patriot, and “freedom’s heavy toll.” (p. 9) It is 1941 in Lviv, and Antonia has joined the clandestine Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). She wants to help free Ukraine from its foreign rulers. “Initially, she too had been prepared to fight those who repressed her country’s language, traditions and cultures; a Ukrainian’s very right to exist.” (p. 16) By day, she teaches languages at the university, and at night, she writes articles for the underground newspaper, Our Nation’s Voice. Several of her friends work with her, Ivan Kovalenko and his sister Oksana as well as Dr. Victor Gruber, her colleague at the university. Antonia is in love with Gruber, and they hope […]
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