BBC: “What is the essence of the scandal? — why is there a debate in Ukraine over a Jewish symbol on the Maidan?”

“I am ready to continue (the dialogue) when a didukh or trident is placed in the main square in Israel. We are at war. War for our land. And there is more than one contender for it.”— Katya Chili.

A debate has been raging on Ukrainian social networks for several days over the Chanukiah installed on Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv. The nine-candlestick candlestick, which is a symbol of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, was lit in the main square of the capital on December 25, 2024.

This year, Hanukkah coincides with the celebration of Christmas and New Year and is celebrated from December 25 to January 2.

The debate was sparked by a post by the famous Ukrainian singer Katya Chili on Facebook, in which she stated that during the war, the symbol of Ukrainian Christmas, and not “other nations,” should stand in the capital.

Her post attracted hundreds of comments, in which some users condemned the singer’s statement, calling it anti-Semitic, while others supported her, agreeing that the menorah on the Maidan was inappropriate.

BBC tried to figure it out, what is the essence of the scandal?…………………

What is the essence of the scandal?

Hanukkiah, according to tradition, was placed on Maidan Nezalezhnosti near the main post office on Wednesday, December 25, 2024. This began to be done every year even before the start of the big war.

The nine-candlestick candlestick, the largest in Europe, was installed by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine with the support of city authorities. The mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko and the Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky took part in the lighting of the first menorah candle along with the leaders of the Jewish community.

The first candle on Hanukkah was lit by a parishioner of the Jewish community and Ukrainian serviceman Tamir Elboim.

Vladimir Zelensky also took part in the lighting of Hanukkah candles at another event with rabbis. The President said that “it is very good that in Ukraine we can celebrate such holidays with respect for each other.”

And the very next day a message appeared on social networks singer Katya Chili in which she was outraged that in the center of Kyiv a symbol of “other nations” was installed, and not the Ukrainian Christmas.

“In the center of the Ukrainian state in the capital of Ukraine, during the war for Ukraine, the symbol of Ukrainian Christmas should be installed. Not other characters. And not symbols of other nations. With all tolerance, respect and honor. Respect, first of all, should be for your land, your people and your traditions that protect this state and people,” the artist wrote.

Her post attracted thousands of reactions, both approving and indignant, and sparked a debate that lasted several days.

Individual posts and even columns in the media were published by opinion leaders, which proves that the topic turned out to be sensitive for Ukrainians.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, which established the menorah, did not comment on the discussion.

One of the most poignant posts was written by a famous Ukrainian psychologist of Jewish origin. Svetlana Roiz .

She shared the story of her family, which had to endure pogroms and the Holocaust, as well as witnessing everyday anti-Semitism in later years.

“I hope that Ukrainian Jews do not have to feel like guests here,” wrote Roiz, whose husband now serves in the Ukrainian army. “I want to believe that we will build a Ukraine where there is a place for everyone.”

The psychologist added that “when we feel our own value, we can appreciate, and not devalue, others.”

Journalist and popular blogger Vitaly Portnikov also of Jewish origin, touched on the history of religion.

“If there were no Jews, where would the messiah come from, whose birthday is celebrated by Christian denominations?” – he reminded.

In his opinion, inciting xenophobic sentiments among Ukrainians is beneficial to Russia and all the empires that once owned Ukrainian lands.

“They needed to demonstrate to the whole world the xenophobia of Ukrainians as one of the proofs of why Ukrainians should be enslaved people,” the journalist wrote.

He also recalled that Russian President Putin constantly returns to the “image of Ukraine as xenophobes and chauvinists” to prove to the world that it is at war with the “fortress of anti-Semitism.”

“Everyone who makes anti-Semitic, Ukrainophobic or any other xenophobic statements is digging a grave for the entire Ukrainian people,” Portnikov concluded.

The military also entered into the discussion about Jewish Hanukkiah, noting that In the Ukrainian Armed Forces, many representatives of other faiths, including Jews, are fighting side by side with Christians.

“You continue to despise with your messages those citizens of Ukraine who are fighting for you, but are not Christians by religion,” wrote the soldier and poetess Yarina Chernoguz .

Some correspondents also drew attention to the fact that Christian communities, unlike the Jewish one, did not take the initiative to install their symbols on the Maidan.

Entrepreneur and official of the Lviv Regional State Administration Roman Matis noted that “the Jewish community in Ukraine took care to contact the city authorities of the capital of Ukraine to obtain permission to establish an important holiday symbol for them.”

The Christmas tree and nativity scene are traditionally installed in Kyiv near the St. Sophia Cathedral.

Journalist Miriam Dragina adds that Hanukkah is placed on the window every year and lit in squares in different countries around the world, and this is always done at the request and at the expense of Jewish communities.

According to Jewish commandment, she notes, the menorah symbolizes “the opportunity to give others a crumb of hope in the midst of darkness.” Traditionally, the Jewish community collects donations and gives gifts to other city residents, because historically not everyone could afford it, Dragina added.

At the same time, there were many reports that agreed with Katya Chili that the symbol of the Jewish holiday on the main square of the capital was inappropriate.

Among others, a famous Kyiv entrepreneur and philanthropist of Jewish origin wrote about this Garik Korogodsky .

He noted that he does not consider the establishment of a symbol of faith in the center of Kyiv to be appropriate – and in general he does not really understand why flaunt the festive attribute of one of the peoples living in Ukraine, forgetting about other nationalities and peoples.

“I also think Hanukkiah on the Maidan is inappropriate. I am Ukrainian, I am Jewish, I am an atheist. And I don’t like any church holidays,” Korogodsky wrote. “My message is this: if Hanukkah is allowed on the Maidan, why can’t Roma, Tatars, and Muslims put up their symbols in the same way?”

Subsequently, singer Katya Chili responded to comments on her post and explained that she meant “unity around the state symbols” of Ukraine.

“I am ready to continue (the dialogue) when a didukh or trident is placed in the main square in Israel. We are at war. War for our land. And there is more than one contender for it,” the artist wrote.

Interethnic prejudice

There have been cases of vandalism and other negative reactions to the installation of menorahs in different cities of Ukraine in previous years. But do they indicate the growth of anti-Semitism in Ukrainian society?

This issue is being investigated by various organizations, including United Jewish Community of Ukraine Since 2018, it has been systematically monitoring cases of anti-Semitism in Ukraine.

As evidenced organization reports (the last of them was published in 2021), over the past three years – from 2018 to 2020 – the level of anti-Semitism in the country has fallen. The cases themselves, which the organization interpreted as anti-Semitism, number several dozen throughout the country.

She also notes that There is no systemic movement with broad support for anti-Semitic ideas in Ukraine.

In October 2023 Kyiv International Institute of Sociology studied level of ethnic prejudice in Ukraine.

The researchers measured the minimum social distance with representatives of other ethnic groups – from 1 (I agree to be admitted as a family member) to 7 (I would not allow them into Ukraine). The level of social distance is often interpreted as the level of prejudice towards a particular group.

According to the 2023 survey data, the lowest level of ethnic prejudice in Ukraine was towards Ukrainians and Poles.

Next come Canadians and Americans, followed by Germans, French and Jews with roughly the same values.

In general, the level of xenophobia in Ukraine increased slightly after the start of a full-scale war. But the researchers named the reason for this as a deterioration in attitudes towards Russians and Belarusians.

…………..

Read on WhatsApp – channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News

Read on Telegram – channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News