The middle of summer at the Jewish Student Cultural Center “Hillel” was marked by a special event — the first brunch held as part of the new educational initiative “Jewish Dnipro: Memory, Identity, Community,” supported by Joint Ukraine.
Alona Kolpina, director of Hillel Dnipro, shares:
“On the cozy veranda of Hummus Bar, guests were greeted with delicious kosher food and a warm, intellectual atmosphere. This time, the guest of honor and keynote speaker was Avraham Yosef Itzhak Karshenbaum — a charismatic lecturer, researcher, and one of the leading cultural figures of the Menorah Center.”
Together with Mr. Karshenbaum, participants took a journey through time — revisiting the early 20th-century city of Yekaterinoslav through the lens of historical facts, archival sources, and vivid imagery. The discussion focused on the development of the Jewish community, its influence on the city, outstanding personalities, and the nuances of religious and civic life of that era. What distinguished “official” rabbis from “spiritual” ones? Why did religion matter more than ethnicity in archival documents of that period? And which figures from old Yekaterinoslav are still honored today in Israel?
The brunch format allowed not only to listen to the lecture, but to ask questions, engage in thoughtful conversation, and share personal reflections. Events like these aim to strengthen young people’s connection to Jewish heritage and help them feel part of the story of their city and community.
Hillel Dnipro is already preparing the next installments of the project. Stay tuned — and don’t miss the chance to join the journey through the layered Jewish history of Dnipro!
