Odesa Honors the Memory of Nazi Victims on the International Day of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps
On the eve of Passover, the Odesa Association of Jews - former inmates of ghettos and Nazi concentration camps — organized a memorial gathering and the laying of flowers at the Holocaust memorial ceremony in Odesa’s Prokhorivskyi Park to honor the victims of Nazism.
On this day in 1945, the prisoners of the Buchenwald concentration camp rose up against their Nazi captors and won their freedom. Since then, April 11 has been observed each year as the International Day of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camp Prisoners.
During the memorial, Roman Shvartsman, the head of the Association and a survivor of the ghetto, addressed the attendees. He shared the story behind the establishment of this commemorative day, reflected on the tragedy of the Holocaust in the history of the Jewish people, and emphasized the critical importance of preserving historical memory — so that such horrors may never happen again.
Following the ceremony, participants laid flowers at the memorial sign “Path of Death” located in Prokhorivskyi Park.
May the memory of the victims be eternal.
On the eve of Passover, the Odesa Association of Jews - former inmates of ghettos and Nazi concentration camps — organized a memorial gathering and the laying of flowers at the Holocaust memorial ceremony in Odesa’s Prokhorivskyi Park to honor the victims of Nazism.
On this day in 1945, the prisoners of the Buchenwald concentration camp rose up against their Nazi captors and won their freedom. Since then, April 11 has been observed each year as the International Day of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camp Prisoners.
During the memorial, Roman Shvartsman, the head of the Association and a survivor of the ghetto, addressed the attendees. He shared the story behind the establishment of this commemorative day, reflected on the tragedy of the Holocaust in the history of the Jewish people, and emphasized the critical importance of preserving historical memory — so that such horrors may never happen again.
Following the ceremony, participants laid flowers at the memorial sign “Path of Death” located in Prokhorivskyi Park.
May the memory of the victims be eternal.
Passover on the Shores of Lake Balaton: Dozens of Ukrainian Families, Separated by War, Reunited Once Again
This year, FJCU Passover Camp 5785 brought together hundreds of Ukrainian Jewish families who had been scattered across the globe due to the ongoing war.
The long-awaited gathering took place at Machne Chabad, a camp on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary — a space that, in the spring of 2022, became the first safe refuge for Jewish refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Initiated by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) in cooperation with EMIH and with support from the Hungarian government, the first refugee camp was launched here. Since then, Machne Chabad has evolved into a full-scale support hub — hosting dozens of family, children’s, and leadership camps, educational programs, holiday celebrations, and Shabbatons that continue to provide connection, care, and community for displaced Jews from Ukraine.
This Passover, more than 300 participants gathered once again. For many, it was a rare opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and celebrate in an atmosphere of unity, tradition, and Jewish life.
The matzah for the holiday was baked in Ukraine — at the Tifferet Matzo bakery — and specially delivered to the camp, adding a powerful sense of continuity and connection with their homeland.
“Passover reminds us that we are one people, even when scattered across the world. When we come together, we strengthen our faith, our unity, and our resilience. No war can take away what makes us Jewish — our tradition, our values, and our responsibility to one another,”
— said Rabbi Mayer Stambler, Chairman of the Board of the FJCU.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our longtime photographer, Raphael Itzhak Vilensky, for his beautiful photos that so vividly capture these unforgettable moments.
This year, FJCU Passover Camp 5785 brought together hundreds of Ukrainian Jewish families who had been scattered across the globe due to the ongoing war.
The long-awaited gathering took place at Machne Chabad, a camp on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary — a space that, in the spring of 2022, became the first safe refuge for Jewish refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Initiated by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) in cooperation with EMIH and with support from the Hungarian government, the first refugee camp was launched here. Since then, Machne Chabad has evolved into a full-scale support hub — hosting dozens of family, children’s, and leadership camps, educational programs, holiday celebrations, and Shabbatons that continue to provide connection, care, and community for displaced Jews from Ukraine.
This Passover, more than 300 participants gathered once again. For many, it was a rare opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and celebrate in an atmosphere of unity, tradition, and Jewish life.
The matzah for the holiday was baked in Ukraine — at the Tifferet Matzo bakery — and specially delivered to the camp, adding a powerful sense of continuity and connection with their homeland.
“Passover reminds us that we are one people, even when scattered across the world. When we come together, we strengthen our faith, our unity, and our resilience. No war can take away what makes us Jewish — our tradition, our values, and our responsibility to one another,”
— said Rabbi Mayer Stambler, Chairman of the Board of the FJCU.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our longtime photographer, Raphael Itzhak Vilensky, for his beautiful photos that so vividly capture these unforgettable moments.
Shabbat and holiday candle lighting times/holiday candle lighting times from a burning fire/ and Holiday ends in cities of Ukraine (18/04/19.04./20.04)
Balta 19:38 / 20:47 / 20:49
Berdichev 19:46 / 20:58 / 21:00
Berdyansk 19:07 / 20:15 / 20:17
Bila Tzerkva 19:40 / 20:52 / 20:53
Bilgorod Dnistrivsky 19:32 / 20:39 / 20:41
Cherkassi 19:31 / 20:43 / 20:44
Chernihiv 19:39 / 20:53 / 20:55
Chernivtsy 19:54 / 21:03 / 21:05
Dnipro 19:18 / 20:17 / 20:19
Donetsk 19:06 / 20:15 / 20:17
Hadyach 19:25 / 20:38 / 20:40
Henichesk 19:14 / 20:21 / 20:23
Horlivka 19:05 / 20:15 / 20:17
Ivano-Frankivsk 20:00 / 21:10 / 21:12
Izmail 19:37 / 20:43 / 20:44
Kakhovka 19:21 / 20:28 / 20:30
Kamyanske 19:19 / 20:29 / 20:31
Kharkiv 19:16 / 20:28 / 20:30
Kherson 19:24 / 20:31 / 20:33
Khmelnitsky 19:52 / 21:03 / 21:04
Konotop 19:30 / 20:44 / 20:46
Kremenchuk 19:28 / 20:36 / 20:38
Kriviy Rig 19:23 / 20:32 / 20:34
Kropivnitsky 19:29 / 20:39 / 20:40
Kyiv 19:40 / 20:52 / 20:54
Lubni 19:29 / 20:41 / 20:43
Lugansk 19:04 / 20:14 / 20:16
Lutsk 20:01 / 21:14 / 21:16
Lviv 20:02 / 21:13 / 21:15
Mariupol 19:05 / 20:13 / 20:15
Melitopol 19:13 / 20:21 / 20:23
Mohiliv Podilsky 19:46 / 20:56 / 20:58
Mykolaiv 19:27 / 20:35 / 20:36
Nova Kakhovka 19:21 / 20:29 / 20:30
Odesa 19:31 / 20:38 / 20:40
Oleksandria 19:26 / 20:36 / 20:37
Oleshki 19:23 / 20:31 / 20:32
Pervomaysk 19:33 / 20:43 / 20:44
Poltava 19:22 / 20:33 / 20:35
Rivne 19:57 / 21:10 / 21:12
Shostka 19:31 / 20:46 / 20:48
Skadovsk 19:22 / 20:29 / 20:30
Sumy 19:23 / 20:37 / 20:39
Ternopil 19:57 / 21:09 / 21:11
Uman 19:37 / 20:48 / 20:49
Uzhhorod 20:09 / 21:19 / 21:21
Vinnitsa 19:45 / 20:56 / 20:58
Voznesensk 19:31 / 20:39 20:41
Zaporozhe 19:16 / 20:25 / 20:27
Zhytomyr 19:47 / 20:59 / 21:01
Balta 19:38 / 20:47 / 20:49
Berdichev 19:46 / 20:58 / 21:00
Berdyansk 19:07 / 20:15 / 20:17
Bila Tzerkva 19:40 / 20:52 / 20:53
Bilgorod Dnistrivsky 19:32 / 20:39 / 20:41
Cherkassi 19:31 / 20:43 / 20:44
Chernihiv 19:39 / 20:53 / 20:55
Chernivtsy 19:54 / 21:03 / 21:05
Dnipro 19:18 / 20:17 / 20:19
Donetsk 19:06 / 20:15 / 20:17
Hadyach 19:25 / 20:38 / 20:40
Henichesk 19:14 / 20:21 / 20:23
Horlivka 19:05 / 20:15 / 20:17
Ivano-Frankivsk 20:00 / 21:10 / 21:12
Izmail 19:37 / 20:43 / 20:44
Kakhovka 19:21 / 20:28 / 20:30
Kamyanske 19:19 / 20:29 / 20:31
Kharkiv 19:16 / 20:28 / 20:30
Kherson 19:24 / 20:31 / 20:33
Khmelnitsky 19:52 / 21:03 / 21:04
Konotop 19:30 / 20:44 / 20:46
Kremenchuk 19:28 / 20:36 / 20:38
Kriviy Rig 19:23 / 20:32 / 20:34
Kropivnitsky 19:29 / 20:39 / 20:40
Kyiv 19:40 / 20:52 / 20:54
Lubni 19:29 / 20:41 / 20:43
Lugansk 19:04 / 20:14 / 20:16
Lutsk 20:01 / 21:14 / 21:16
Lviv 20:02 / 21:13 / 21:15
Mariupol 19:05 / 20:13 / 20:15
Melitopol 19:13 / 20:21 / 20:23
Mohiliv Podilsky 19:46 / 20:56 / 20:58
Mykolaiv 19:27 / 20:35 / 20:36
Nova Kakhovka 19:21 / 20:29 / 20:30
Odesa 19:31 / 20:38 / 20:40
Oleksandria 19:26 / 20:36 / 20:37
Oleshki 19:23 / 20:31 / 20:32
Pervomaysk 19:33 / 20:43 / 20:44
Poltava 19:22 / 20:33 / 20:35
Rivne 19:57 / 21:10 / 21:12
Shostka 19:31 / 20:46 / 20:48
Skadovsk 19:22 / 20:29 / 20:30
Sumy 19:23 / 20:37 / 20:39
Ternopil 19:57 / 21:09 / 21:11
Uman 19:37 / 20:48 / 20:49
Uzhhorod 20:09 / 21:19 / 21:21
Vinnitsa 19:45 / 20:56 / 20:58
Voznesensk 19:31 / 20:39 20:41
Zaporozhe 19:16 / 20:25 / 20:27
Zhytomyr 19:47 / 20:59 / 21:01