As part of the international educational and cultural project Between Sophia and Bezalel / בין סופיה לבצלאל, Kyiv once again became a place of deep dialogue between the cultures of Ukraine and Israel. This time, the meeting took place at the National Museum of History of Ukraine, where participants had the opportunity to touch exquisite Judaic artefacts – symbols of the deep spirituality, memory, and identity of the Jewish people in the Ukrainian context.
The project was organised with the support of Israel in Ukraine, NATIV Ukraine – Israeli Cultural Centre, the Honorary Consulate of the State of Israel in the Western Region of Ukraine (Oleg Vyshniakov), Babyn Yar, the Kyiv Museum, the Avant-Garde Museum, and the Dukh i Litera Publishing House.
The meeting turned into a lively conversation about cultural memory, symbolism, traditions, and objects that have been visual attributes of respect, love, and continuity of Jewish culture in Ukraine for centuries. Apparently fragile, these objects have become strong pillars of an identity that has survived and flourished despite the storms of history.
The unique journey into the world of Judaica was led by researcher and speaker Natalia Likhitska, and scientific support was provided by the National Museum of History of Ukraine, for which special thanks go to Bohdan Paterliak. Immersion in the details of the exhibition prompted a rethinking of the role of Jewish culture in the Ukrainian narrative, and also gave rise to new, deeper questions about the formation of the national cultural code.
This event is another important link in our symbolic bridge between Sofia and Bezalel, between two rich civilisational experiences. And we continue to build.
You can watch the full meeting here: YouTube – Conversation about the treasures of Judaica
The photographer Pawel Besdetny presented a warm visual memory of this event.
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