Countless North American Jews have their roots in Ukraine; their families having left a once vibrant Jewish culture destroyed by the Holocaust and the Soviet regime. As we explore some of the pivotal Jewish communities in Ukraine – Kiev, Odessa, Chernowitz and Lemburg (Lviv) – their history and culture will come alive through virtual visits to synagogues and museums. We will also examine the enormous contribution of these remarkable immigrants to the development of 20th century North America and Israel as well as the revival of Jewish life in Ukraine today.
Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya was born in Leningrad and made aliyah as a teenager. She holds a law degree from Bar Ilan University; an MA in Jewish Thought from the Jewish Theological Seminary; and Rabbinic Ordination from the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary. A former practicing attorney, she served as the Rabbi of the Masorti Kehillah Hadasha of Ramat Aviv and is now the director of Midreshet Schechter, where she focuses on informal Jewish education in Israel and Ukraine.
Tuition: USD 120 / ILS 400 per course
10% discount price for 2 series of classes: $215 (IS 720) for two courses
The weekly zoom link will be sent via email to all registered students.
The World of our Grandparents: 19th-20th Century Jewish Communities in Ukraine