Chris Mitchell and Julie Stahl
March 12, 2014
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Some 350,000 Jewish people live in the Ukraine. And with an upsurge in anti-Semitic attacks and the threat of war and violence there, many of them are considering immigrating to Israel -- known even in English by the Hebrew term aliyah, literally meaning "to come up," a reference to ascending to Jerusalem.
Edward Dolinsky, director general for Ukrainian Jewish Community, spoke to journalists in Jerusalem. He told CBN News the Jewish community is very troubled by events unfolding in their country.
"We were highly concerned by the events unfolded during Maidan [uprising] and for the struggle of Ukrainian people for freedom, and we are now very much concerned about Russian invasion in Crimea," Dolinsky said.
Dolinsky said they'd seen a number of anti-Semitic incidents but were not sure who was behind the attacks. He said some could have been provoked by the Russian influence.
Regarding the Russian invasion into Crimea, he said the Jewish community doesn't see it as a threat only against itself but as a wider threat against Ukraine.
According to Dolinsky, many Jews are now considering immigrating to Israel but only as a last resort.
"Many Jews were considering to making aliyah in this situation, especially in the times when the violence erupted in the streets of Kiev -- and now also because of the Russian invasion and all these threats and the danger of war," Dolinsky said.
"Of course many Jews are considering aliyah. [A] very important factor for making aliyah -- every Jewish family in Ukraine [has] relatives in Israel, living in Israel. So we are so much connected that the immigrating, [making] aliyah is the final, the last option but it's still on the table," he said.
Dolinsky believes that Crimea is already lost to the Russians -- that would include the more than 10,000 Jews who live there and their four synagogues.
According to Dolinsky, the Ukrainian Jewish community asked Israel to help them tighten security around synagogues and Jewish schools in Ukraine.
He also wants Christians to support the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. He said Ukrainian Jews support a united Ukraine and they are "praying for the peaceful resolution of this crisis."
Edward Dolinsky, director general for Ukrainian Jewish Community, spoke to journalists in Jerusalem. He told CBN News the Jewish community is very troubled by events unfolding in their country.
"We were highly concerned by the events unfolded during Maidan [uprising] and for the struggle of Ukrainian people for freedom, and we are now very much concerned about Russian invasion in Crimea," Dolinsky said.
Dolinsky said they'd seen a number of anti-Semitic incidents but were not sure who was behind the attacks. He said some could have been provoked by the Russian influence.
Regarding the Russian invasion into Crimea, he said the Jewish community doesn't see it as a threat only against itself but as a wider threat against Ukraine.
According to Dolinsky, many Jews are now considering immigrating to Israel but only as a last resort.
"Many Jews were considering to making aliyah in this situation, especially in the times when the violence erupted in the streets of Kiev -- and now also because of the Russian invasion and all these threats and the danger of war," Dolinsky said.
"Of course many Jews are considering aliyah. [A] very important factor for making aliyah -- every Jewish family in Ukraine [has] relatives in Israel, living in Israel. So we are so much connected that the immigrating, [making] aliyah is the final, the last option but it's still on the table," he said.
Dolinsky believes that Crimea is already lost to the Russians -- that would include the more than 10,000 Jews who live there and their four synagogues.
According to Dolinsky, the Ukrainian Jewish community asked Israel to help them tighten security around synagogues and Jewish schools in Ukraine.
He also wants Christians to support the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. He said Ukrainian Jews support a united Ukraine and they are "praying for the peaceful resolution of this crisis."
Source: CBN News
