The Chaplain of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine Stands by Ukraine’s Defenders
Yakiv Synyakov, the FJCU chaplain, travelled to eastern Ukraine to offer his support to those who are always among the first to respond — the paratroopers defending Ukraine on the most challenging frontlines.
This visit was not limited to delivering humanitarian aid. It also brought words of comfort, heartfelt conversations, shared prayers, the reading of Tehillim (Psalms), and vital spiritual support for every soldier in need.
To be present is not about physical distance — it is about compassion and commitment.
We extend our sincere gratitude to those who supported and contributed to this important mission:
Oleksandr Rutman, Hleb Urytsky, and Leonid Sandomirsky.
Yakiv Synyakov, the FJCU chaplain, travelled to eastern Ukraine to offer his support to those who are always among the first to respond — the paratroopers defending Ukraine on the most challenging frontlines.
This visit was not limited to delivering humanitarian aid. It also brought words of comfort, heartfelt conversations, shared prayers, the reading of Tehillim (Psalms), and vital spiritual support for every soldier in need.
To be present is not about physical distance — it is about compassion and commitment.
We extend our sincere gratitude to those who supported and contributed to this important mission:
Oleksandr Rutman, Hleb Urytsky, and Leonid Sandomirsky.
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A Grand Lag BaOmer Celebration Held in Dnipro!
Over a thousand participants gathered in the heart of Jewish life in the city — at the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah” — to share an atmosphere of unity, light, and joy.
This unforgettable celebration was organized by the Jewish community of Dnipro with the support of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine and personally the Head of the Federation’s Council, Rabbi Meir Tzvi Stambler.
The program featured inspiring speeches, a unity parade, children’s performances, vast variety of entertainment, educational zones, festive treats, and, of course, the traditional Lag BaOmer lottery.
Watch the video to see the brightest moments of the celebration!
Over a thousand participants gathered in the heart of Jewish life in the city — at the world’s largest Jewish center, “Menorah” — to share an atmosphere of unity, light, and joy.
This unforgettable celebration was organized by the Jewish community of Dnipro with the support of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine and personally the Head of the Federation’s Council, Rabbi Meir Tzvi Stambler.
The program featured inspiring speeches, a unity parade, children’s performances, vast variety of entertainment, educational zones, festive treats, and, of course, the traditional Lag BaOmer lottery.
Watch the video to see the brightest moments of the celebration!
A Grand Shabbaton Dedicated to Lag BaOmer Took Place in Medzhybizh
From May 15 to 18, a large-scale Shabbaton was held in Medzhybizh in honor of the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer. Over 130 participants from Jewish communities of Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Vinnytsia, and Mykolaiv got together to share in joy, spirituality, and collective prayer.
The celebration began on Thursday evening with a traditional bonfire, singing, and dancing. The participants attended the gravesite of the Baal Shem Tov — the founder of Hasidism — where they placed handwritten notes with prayers and personal requests for blessings for themselves and their loved ones.
The highlight of the trip was the communal Shabbat experience — a meaningful opportunity to spend the day and pray together in this special place. For many, it was their first time visiting Medzhybizh.
The Shabbaton program included guided tours of the Medzhybizh Castle, the Besht Synagogue, and the historic Beit Midrash, home to a unique Jewish library.
Throughout the Shabbaton, the participants enjoyed delicious kosher meals, engaging lectures, interactive activities, children’s games, and a warm atmosphere of heartfelt connection. This trip became a true source of inspiration, helping to strengthen the bonds between communities, and filling hearts with gratitude and renewed faith.
From May 15 to 18, a large-scale Shabbaton was held in Medzhybizh in honor of the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer. Over 130 participants from Jewish communities of Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Vinnytsia, and Mykolaiv got together to share in joy, spirituality, and collective prayer.
The celebration began on Thursday evening with a traditional bonfire, singing, and dancing. The participants attended the gravesite of the Baal Shem Tov — the founder of Hasidism — where they placed handwritten notes with prayers and personal requests for blessings for themselves and their loved ones.
The highlight of the trip was the communal Shabbat experience — a meaningful opportunity to spend the day and pray together in this special place. For many, it was their first time visiting Medzhybizh.
The Shabbaton program included guided tours of the Medzhybizh Castle, the Besht Synagogue, and the historic Beit Midrash, home to a unique Jewish library.
Throughout the Shabbaton, the participants enjoyed delicious kosher meals, engaging lectures, interactive activities, children’s games, and a warm atmosphere of heartfelt connection. This trip became a true source of inspiration, helping to strengthen the bonds between communities, and filling hearts with gratitude and renewed faith.
Former Ghetto Prisoner Roman Shvartsman to Become Honorary Citizen of Odesa
Roman Shvartsman, the 89-year-old head of the Regional Association of Jews — Former Prisoners of Ghettos and Nazi Concentration Camps, will soon be awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Odesa, according to the local news outlet Dumskaya.
The decision is expected to be officially approved in the nearest future. Shvartsman himself confirmed the news and shared his emotions about the upcoming recognition.
“It is a great honor and deeply moving for me to be nominated as an Honorary Citizen of Odesa,” he said. Shvartsman emphasized that this award is not only a recognition of his personal efforts but also a tribute to the memory of the millions of Holocaust victims and all those who suffered under Nazism.
According to Shvartsman, Odesa became a place of rebirth for him after the war, and it was this city that inspired his lifelong commitment to preserving historical truth. He expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the initiative and noted that this title is not only an honor but also a new responsibility: to continue working even harder to preserve memory.
It is worth noting that in January of this year, Roman Shvartsman delivered a moving speech in the Bundestag, highlighting the importance of Holocaust remembrance and advocating for support for Ukraine in its struggle for freedom.
Roman Shvartsman, the 89-year-old head of the Regional Association of Jews — Former Prisoners of Ghettos and Nazi Concentration Camps, will soon be awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Odesa, according to the local news outlet Dumskaya.
The decision is expected to be officially approved in the nearest future. Shvartsman himself confirmed the news and shared his emotions about the upcoming recognition.
“It is a great honor and deeply moving for me to be nominated as an Honorary Citizen of Odesa,” he said. Shvartsman emphasized that this award is not only a recognition of his personal efforts but also a tribute to the memory of the millions of Holocaust victims and all those who suffered under Nazism.
According to Shvartsman, Odesa became a place of rebirth for him after the war, and it was this city that inspired his lifelong commitment to preserving historical truth. He expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the initiative and noted that this title is not only an honor but also a new responsibility: to continue working even harder to preserve memory.
It is worth noting that in January of this year, Roman Shvartsman delivered a moving speech in the Bundestag, highlighting the importance of Holocaust remembrance and advocating for support for Ukraine in its struggle for freedom.
Shabbat candle lighting times and Shabbat ends in cities of Ukraine:
Balta 20:25 / 21:44
Berdichev 20:38 / 22:00
Berdyansk 19:52 / 21:08
Bila Tzerkva 20:31 / 21:53
Bilgorod Dnistrivsky 20:16 / 21:31
Cherkassi 20:22 / 21:43
Chernihiv 20:34 / 22:01
Chernivtsy 20:42 / 22:01
Dnipro 20:06 / 21:11
Donetsk 19:53 / 21:12
Hadyach 20:18 / 21:42
Henichesk 19:58 / 21:13
Horlivka 19:53 / 21:12
Ivano-Frankivsk 20:49 / 22:09
Izmail 20:19 / 21:33
Kakhovka 20:06 / 21:22
Kamyanske 20:08 / 21:27
Kharkiv 20:07 / 21:30
Kherson 20:09 / 21:24
Khmelnitsky 20:42 / 22:03
Konotop 20:25 / 21:51
Kremenchuk 20:15 / 21:35
Kriviy Rig 20:10 / 21:28
Kropivnitsky 20:17 / 21:36
Kyiv 20:32 / 21:56
Lubni 20:20 / 21:43
Lugansk 19:53 / 21:12
Lutsk 20:54 / 22:19
Lviv 20:53 / 22:15
Mariupol 19:51 / 21:07
Melitopol 19:58 / 21:14
Mohiliv Podilsky 20:35 / 21:54
Mykolaiv 20:12 / 21:28
Nova Kakhovka 20:06 / 21:22
Odesa 20:15 / 21:31
Oleksandria 20:14 / 21:34
Oleshki 20:08 / 21:24
Pervomaysk 20:21 / 21:39
Poltava 20:12 / 21:34
Rivne 20:50 / 22:15
Shostka 20:27 / 21:55
Skadovsk 20:05 / 21:20
Sumy 20:17 / 21:42
Ternopil 20:48 / 22:10
Uman 20:26 / 21:46
Uzhhorod 20:57 / 22:17
Vinnitsa 20:35 / 21:56
Voznesensk 20:17 / 21:34
Zaporozhe 20:03 / 21:21
Zhytomyr 20:39 / 22:02
Weekly Torah Reading: Behar-Bechukotai
Balta 20:25 / 21:44
Berdichev 20:38 / 22:00
Berdyansk 19:52 / 21:08
Bila Tzerkva 20:31 / 21:53
Bilgorod Dnistrivsky 20:16 / 21:31
Cherkassi 20:22 / 21:43
Chernihiv 20:34 / 22:01
Chernivtsy 20:42 / 22:01
Dnipro 20:06 / 21:11
Donetsk 19:53 / 21:12
Hadyach 20:18 / 21:42
Henichesk 19:58 / 21:13
Horlivka 19:53 / 21:12
Ivano-Frankivsk 20:49 / 22:09
Izmail 20:19 / 21:33
Kakhovka 20:06 / 21:22
Kamyanske 20:08 / 21:27
Kharkiv 20:07 / 21:30
Kherson 20:09 / 21:24
Khmelnitsky 20:42 / 22:03
Konotop 20:25 / 21:51
Kremenchuk 20:15 / 21:35
Kriviy Rig 20:10 / 21:28
Kropivnitsky 20:17 / 21:36
Kyiv 20:32 / 21:56
Lubni 20:20 / 21:43
Lugansk 19:53 / 21:12
Lutsk 20:54 / 22:19
Lviv 20:53 / 22:15
Mariupol 19:51 / 21:07
Melitopol 19:58 / 21:14
Mohiliv Podilsky 20:35 / 21:54
Mykolaiv 20:12 / 21:28
Nova Kakhovka 20:06 / 21:22
Odesa 20:15 / 21:31
Oleksandria 20:14 / 21:34
Oleshki 20:08 / 21:24
Pervomaysk 20:21 / 21:39
Poltava 20:12 / 21:34
Rivne 20:50 / 22:15
Shostka 20:27 / 21:55
Skadovsk 20:05 / 21:20
Sumy 20:17 / 21:42
Ternopil 20:48 / 22:10
Uman 20:26 / 21:46
Uzhhorod 20:57 / 22:17
Vinnitsa 20:35 / 21:56
Voznesensk 20:17 / 21:34
Zaporozhe 20:03 / 21:21
Zhytomyr 20:39 / 22:02
Weekly Torah Reading: Behar-Bechukotai
Shabbat candle lighting times and Shabbat ends in outside Ukraine:
European countries:
Balatonnesed, Hungary 20:08 / 21:24
Berlin, Germany 20:50 / 22:21
Bratislava, Slovakia 20:16 / 21:35
Budapest, Hungary 20:06 / 21:23
Frankfurt, Germany 20:58 / 22:21
Hannover, Germany 21:04 / 22:34
Munich, Germany 20:38 / 21:57
Nuremberg, Germany 20:46 / 22:07
Vienna, Austria 20:19 / 21:38
Warsaw, Poland 20:19 / 21:48
Israel:
Ashdod 19:15 / 20:18
Ashkelon 19:07 / 20:18
Bat Yam 19:07 / 20:19
Beer Sheva 19:15 / 20:16
Haifa 19:08 / 20:20
Jerusalem 18:55 / 20:16
Karmiel 19:07 / 20:19
Netania 19:07 / 20:19
Nof HaGalil 19:06 / 20:18
Rishon Lezion 19:07 / 20:18
Tel Aviv 19:15 / 20:19
Weekly Torah Reading: Behar-Bechukotai
European countries:
Balatonnesed, Hungary 20:08 / 21:24
Berlin, Germany 20:50 / 22:21
Bratislava, Slovakia 20:16 / 21:35
Budapest, Hungary 20:06 / 21:23
Frankfurt, Germany 20:58 / 22:21
Hannover, Germany 21:04 / 22:34
Munich, Germany 20:38 / 21:57
Nuremberg, Germany 20:46 / 22:07
Vienna, Austria 20:19 / 21:38
Warsaw, Poland 20:19 / 21:48
Israel:
Ashdod 19:15 / 20:18
Ashkelon 19:07 / 20:18
Bat Yam 19:07 / 20:19
Beer Sheva 19:15 / 20:16
Haifa 19:08 / 20:20
Jerusalem 18:55 / 20:16
Karmiel 19:07 / 20:19
Netania 19:07 / 20:19
Nof HaGalil 19:06 / 20:18
Rishon Lezion 19:07 / 20:18
Tel Aviv 19:15 / 20:19
Weekly Torah Reading: Behar-Bechukotai
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Yakiv Synyakov, the chaplain of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, has delivered humanitarian aid to units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The assistance includes vital supplies for our brave defenders who stand watch each day, safeguarding the independence of our nation.
We stand with those who protect us.
Together, we march toward victory!
The assistance includes vital supplies for our brave defenders who stand watch each day, safeguarding the independence of our nation.
We stand with those who protect us.
Together, we march toward victory!