- September 7, 2025
- 12:13 am
- Ukraine
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was presented with the first-ever siddur in Ukrainian — in the nusach “Tehilat Ha-Shem”, with the KE”T imprint. It was printed in Kharkiv, at the printing house of Mikhail Shperin, which was destroyed by a Russian missile at the beginning of the war; today the workshop has been restored, and the editions have been distributed to schools and synagogues.
The gift was presented on August 25, 2025 at the National Prayer Breakfast in Kyiv. This is not a souvenir: thousands of copies have already been distributed to schools and communities; a full version with Mincha and Maariv is being prepared for release.
Let’s start with the important: where and how it was printed
Kharkiv. The printing house of Mikhail Shperin. During the first months of the war, it was hit by a Russian missile: walls were knocked out, machines were dead, and the smell of soot filled the workshop. It seemed like the end.
Time passed — and the printing is buzzing again. It was in this workshop that the first Ukrainian siddur was printed. This fact alone is stronger than slogans: where they tried to extinguish life, sheets are running again, paints are drying, stacks of books are coming off the press.
The project was supported by philanthropist Mark Menachem Mendel Vinarsky. Without this support, such stories do not become editions. Here — they did.
What was given to the president: not a “literal translation”, but a canon
Nusach and Imprint
We are talking about a siddur in the nusach “Tehilat Ha-Shem” — the classic Chabad edition of the liturgy. The edition has been reviewed and received the official imprint of the Chabad-Lubavitch KE”T (Kehot Publication Society). For schools and synagogues, this is key: the text is correct and can be used without reservations.
Contents of the Volume
The current edition includes the weekday Shacharit: blessings, psalms, “Shema”, and the central “Amidah”. Comments and notes have been added — so that children who open a prayer book in Ukrainian for the first time do not stumble over unfamiliar words. The next release will add Mincha and Maariv, completing the entire daily cycle.
The moment of presentation: date, hall, voices
The breakfast took place on August 25, 2025 and concluded a 24-hour prayer initiative for Ukraine’s Independence Day. In the hall were families of the fallen, military chaplains, community leaders, and guests from dozens of countries.
The military rabbi of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) Rabbi Yakov Sinyakov presented the first copy to the president. From the Ukrainian side, Denys Shmyhal and Ruslan Stefanchuk were present; the international contour was marked by the US special envoy, Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg.
The voice of the Jewish community
Particular attention was drawn to the speech of Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman. He said a few words, offered a prayer for Ukraine, and blessed those present. His participation emphasized that the Jewish community is not somewhere nearby but at the center of what is today called “national unity”.
“I had the honor to participate in the National Prayer Breakfast of Ukraine
This annual event unites Ukrainian society, representatives of different religions, professions, fields of activity, and public organizations. We are all united by love for Ukraine and faith in the Creator.
I had the great honor to say a few words, offer a prayer for Ukraine, and bless those present. Among the participants were President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, military chaplains, esteemed guests from all over Ukraine, as well as numerous international representatives.”
Official position: FJCU quote
The organizers of the project, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine led by Rabbi Meir Stambler, formulated the meaning as follows:
“We are proud to present thousands of copies of the siddur ‘Tehilat Ha-Shem’ to President Zelensky, students, and communities across Ukraine — so that the words of prayer are both understandable and felt in the heart. We are confident that the prayers of ‘children from the house of learning’ will not go unanswered, and thanks to them, we will be granted a speedy redemption — here and throughout the world.”
In short: text clarity + children’s voices + hope for redemption. In war, such formulas cease to be rhetoric — they become practice.
Not only the president: who else received and where the editions went
Separate copies were given to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, as well as Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg. But the focus is not on the VIP shelf.
Mass distribution
School batches went “by the thousands”, primarily to educational institutions of the “Or Avner” network. More than 5,000 copies were delivered to adult communities across the country — by the month of Elul, when the theme of repentance and prayer sounds especially direct. For many children, this is their first experience of prayer in the language they think in — many kids no longer speak Russian.
Why this is really important
- Language is identity.
Jewish children in Ukraine no longer pray in “foreign” Russian but read prayers in the language of the country they live in. This strengthens the feeling that both Jewish tradition and Ukrainian culture can go together, not parallel. - Accessibility.
When a child or adult understands every word of a prayer, faith ceases to be a form — it becomes a personal experience. The translation brings the prayer closer to the heart, especially for the new generation. - Symbol of resistance.
The siddur was printed in a printing house that a Russian missile tried to destroy. The fact that the sound of machines is heard there again shows that life is stronger than destruction. - Community resilience.
Thousands of copies in schools and synagogues create habit and normalcy. This is not about one gesture for the camera, but about a system: daily prayers read at home and in class. - Bridge to Israel and the diaspora.
The text is canonical, nusach “Tehilat Ha-Shem”. This means that a Jew in Kyiv and a Jew in Jerusalem pray with the same words, only in their own language. This connects communities directly — without intermediaries.
No exoticism: ordinary school practice and community prayer — in a comprehensible language. For the audience of NANews — News of Israel, this is the point where “politics” gives way to “life”: lessons, calendar, family, synagogue.
Kyiv — Kharkiv — Tel Aviv — Jerusalem: one calendar, one everyday life. When a psalm is heard in Ukrainian in Kyiv, it is heard in Israel — this is how the common acoustics of the diaspora are arranged. That is why we call such stories news of Israel in the broadest sense.
Memory line: 2022 → 2025
In February 2022, Zelensky was presented with the first Ukrainian Tehillim; soon he quoted the fourth psalm in an address to the nation (“You, Lord, are my shield… I will not fear thousands“). Then many heard a prayer text in Ukrainian from the presidential podium for the first time.
The current siddur continues the line — from symbol to infrastructure. The book goes to the classroom, into the backpack, onto the community table. And this is more important than any podium.
What’s next
The siddur’s editorial team is preparing an expanded version with Mincha and Maariv. Meanwhile, FJCU continues to publish Chumash, Tehillim, and children’s books in Ukrainian. Logistics are already working: school batches are going “by the thousands”, more than 5,000 copies have been delivered to adult communities.
If such stories are important to you — follow the feed of NANews — News of Israel: we provide not only “big politics” but also those “small” events that make up enormous community resilience.
The first Ukrainian siddur, presented to the president, is not a commemorative souvenir. It is a working book, coming out of the Kharkiv workshop where a missile recently landed. This is what normalcy looks like, assembled from simple things: a lesson, a prayer, the road home.
For Israel — this is also everyday life. Kyiv and Kharkiv rhyme with Tel Aviv and Jerusalem because we all share a common calendar and common memory. This is news of Israel in the most literal sense.
What it all means: explaining the terms (guide)
Siddur in the nusach “Tehilat Ha-Shem”
A siddur is a prayer book that records the order of daily services. Nusach is the edition of the text that exists in different traditions. “Tehilat Ha-Shem” is the canonical version of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, published by KE”T. Such a siddur is used in schools and synagogues worldwide, and now — for the first time — it is available in Ukrainian.
Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv
Shacharit — the morning prayer, including blessings, psalms, the reading of “Shema”, and the central “Amidah”.
Mincha — a short afternoon prayer, recited after noon.
Maariv — the evening service, concluding the day.
When all three are included in one siddur, a Jew receives a full “morning-afternoon-evening” cycle.
“Shema” — the central confession
“Shema, Israel” is the core of Jewish faith: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one”. In the morning and evening prayers, blessings are added to it, revealing the themes of Creation, Redemption, and Election. The translation of “Shema” into Ukrainian makes these lines close and understandable to every worshiper.
“Amidah” — the heart of the liturgy
“Amidah” (also called “Shemoneh Esrei” — eighteen blessings) is the main prayer of the Jewish service. It is recited standing, in silence, facing Jerusalem. In the weekday version, it includes requests for health, prosperity, forgiveness, the return of exiles, and peace. The translation into Ukrainian opens access to its meaning for those who previously could not understand every word.
Tehillim and Chumash
Tehillim — the Book of Psalms. It is read in moments of joy and in difficult days, at home and in the synagogue.
Chumash — the Five Books of Moses with commentaries; the foundation of Jewish education. Each week the community studies the next chapter, and the translation into Ukrainian brings the study of the Torah closer to children and adults.
“Prayers of children from the house of learning”
In tradition, there is an expression “tinokot shel beit-Raban” — “children from the house of learning”. Their prayers are considered especially pure and strong. When a child pronounces the words of a prayer in a comprehensible language, they sound more confident and sincere. This is the essence of the entire translation project.
FAQ
Who leads the translation project?
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) under the leadership of Rabbi Meir Stambler.
What makes this siddur different?
It is the canonical nusach “Tehilat Ha-Shem”: weekday Shacharit with comments; next — Mincha and Maariv.
Why is printing in Kharkiv important in itself?
Because the printing house of Mikhail Shperin survived a direct missile hit and returned to work — printing became a symbol of resilience.
Why is this important to the audience in Israel?
Because this is — News of Israel in the broad sense: school, prayer, community, diaspora; the link between Ukraine and Israel through everyday practice.
