Gaidai way to Judaism

by Vladimir Matveyev

Kiev. Thanks to an ideology that is closer to the outlook of Ukrainian Jewry than of its Orthodox Jewish competitors, the Reform movement in Ukraine (known here as Progressive Judaism) has to involve both Halahic and non-Halahic of the Ukrainian Jewish population and all who share its traditions in its activities.

Larisa Gaidai was conversed into Judaism after a long term of her studying and practice in Judaism at Ha-Tikvah Progressive Jewish congregation in Kiev, capital of Ukraine.

In a series of interviews with Reform and other Jewish activists around this country of nearly 48 million people, this reporter found widespread agreement that the Reform movement has an opportunity to achieve a dominant position in Jewish life here and other parts of FSU.

The activists mentioned a number of reasons for this, including religious tolerance, pluralism and equality of rights of men and women. "Progressive Judaism is very attractive to young people in Ukraine where there are a lot of assimilated and non-Halahic Jews. I believe that this movement will flourish in Ukraine," said Osik Akselrud, director of Hillel in six former Soviet countries.

Progressive Judaism came to Ukraine in the early 19th century together with the ideas of Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment) and construction of the Reform synagogues. First Reform congregations were established in Lvov and Odessa, two Ukrainian cities with large concentration of Jewish population. After seventy years of decline of Jewish life in the Soviet times, Progressive Judaism began to revive in independent Ukraine. Many Ukrainian Jews connect the way to Judaism through liberal stream as the most acceptable form for Jews who have survived the tragedy of the Holocaust and the period of Soviet state anti-Semitism, when the majority of Jews were assimilated.

"Progressive Judaism is a house with open windows and doors. The main credo of Progressive Judaism is to give a man a possibility to be what he is and what he wants to be," said Rabbi Alex Dukhovny, Chief Rabbi of Progressive Jewish Congregations in Ukraine. After graduation from the rabbinical seminary Leo Back College in London in 1999, he became the first rabbi of Progressive Movement who is a citizen of Ukraine.

In the span of just over a decade Progressive Judaism has developed into rather noticeable religious movement in Ukraine. At present there are more than 30 Progressive Jewish congregations in the country. All of them are members of the Association for Progressive Jewish Congregation's of Ukraine.

The congregations run such typical programs as: religious services, women's clubs and Sunday family schools, Netzer, music and dance groups, and other projects that cater to the different interests of congregation members.

All of them are dedicated to religious observances: hold Kabbalat Shabbat services and Torah readings, celebrate Jewish holidays and mark life-cycle events. Reform congregations have took back synagogues in Simferopol, Evpatoria, Kerch, Lutsk and Zvenigorodka.

"Ha-Tikvah" (Hope) congregation - is the name of the first and largest Progressive congregation in Ukraine, which is based in Kiev and icludes about 1 000 members together with the members of their families. It is the congregation associated among the Jewish intelligencia of Ukraine with the revival of Jewish life in general, and Progressive movement, in particular.

Since the beginning Reform movement in Ukraine has been developed with support of the World Union for Progressive Judaism in partnership with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

The Ukrainian state does not hinder the development of Reform movement in Ukraine, but it doesn't support it either. "Despite of our numerous appeals, Rabbi Dukhovny has not yet elected member of the Council of Churches and Religious Organizations under Ukraine’s State Committee on Religions. Therefore, I have a doubt about the Committee's equal attitude to different religious streams in Ukraine," said a famous Ukrainian composer Aleksandr Zlotnik, President of Reform movement in Ukraine.

Many leaders openly speak about aging of congregations, emigration and importance to engage non-Halahic Jews and return them to Jewish community, to Israel. "Our congregation has grown older. However, we are trying to return non-Halahic Jews to Judaism," said Polina Korenblyum, chairman of Progressive Congregation in Chernovtzy, Western Ukraine.

Still, the reform movement is likely to be in Ukraine for a long time. There are a lot of mixed marriages and non-Halahic Jews in Ukraine. As the doors for them in other streams of Judaism are closed, the Progressive Movement is a good sweep-net for them and opportunity to become a Jew. Today many non-Halahic Jews and people of other nationalities participate in congregations' life. They cooperate with the Progressive Movement and share its ideas. When there aren't enough Jews to fill all the programs, Jewish activists open their doors to non-Jews interested in the Jewish ceremonies and culture. Klavdia Kolesnikova (Korsun-Shevchenkovsky), editor of a monthly Jewish publication Nadezhda or Hope, comments: "Where can we find today Halahic Jews? That is why we admit to the Jewish community all the people who share Jewish traditions and work with us."

Leonid Gaidai came to Progressive Judaism three years ago. Before that he visited Brodsky synagogue in Kiev but Chabad community did not accept him because his mother was not a Jew. In the middle of the 1990s his farther a Jew left the family and immigrated to Israel. "What attracts me in Progressive movement is the development of Jewish traditions and equal rights of men and women," Leonid said. In ha-Tikva he became an active member of Reform youth club Netzer and passed Bar-Mitzva on April 18, 2003. He also help Rabbi Dukhovny lead Kabbalat Shabbat service and Shacharit.

Leonid brought to congregation his mother Larisa. "Lyonya brought me to Progressive movement, and I find it very close to my heart and soul," she said. Both of them celebrate all Jewish festivals. Larisa is a student of the evening school "The way to Judaism". She was conversed into Judaism in ha-Tikvah.

Leonid continues his education in Israel at the Migdal Or religious school: "Jews are responsible for the peace in the world. I am very happy to continue my education in Israel. I wish to continue my life and work in my motherland." He spends his holidays with his farther in Israel. Thanks to Progressive movement one more Jew returned to his Jewish family, to Israel. "I wish to  continue my life and work in my Motherland," said Leonid.