Czernowitz today: secular cultural Jewish life, 2020

Supported by:

The word Czernowitz is primarily associated with Jewish culture. Our project is intended to answer the question of Chernivtsi citizens and guests „What is happening today in Czernowitz Jewish social life?“. Our project aims to show contemporary Jewish culture and make it interesting for young people through organizing poetry readings of authors from Izrael, art exhibition and a range of lectures by famous professors, translators and journalists on Jewish topics.

The main objective of the project is to introduce, to continuously increase awareness of the young generation and to make them interested in contemporary Jewish culture, values, traditions, religion, literature, and lifestyle on constant basis though a number of culture events, workshops and lectures given by famous experts well known in the field, to give new opportunities for further development of Jewish culture in Czernowitz.

1. Exhibition of graphics by Oleksandr Roitburd

Oleksandr Roitburd is well-known artist, the head of Odesa Fine Arts Museum. The graphics are made for the book of poetry by Serhiy Zhadan. At the opening of the exhibition Serhiy Zhadan (well-known Ukrainian author) and Menachem Mendel Glitsenstein (the Chief Rabbi of the Chernivtsi region) made a welcoming speech about the start of the project and the exhibition. The exhibition was presented at Paul Celan Literaturzentrum for 5 days from July, 14 till July, 18. About 150 people from Chernivtsi region and those who came from other cities were able to see the exhibition, and about 650 people watched the event online.

2. Screening of a video lecture by the head of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine Josyf Zisels “There are no former dissidents. Acquaintance“.

During the lecture Josyf Zisels told about his life and his roots, about the history of Jews in Bessarabia on the example of his parents and grandparents. The video was shown in Paul Celan Literaturzentrum and online on Facebook page to involve more audience. About 10 people visited the event offline while maintaining quarantine requirements and about 400 people watched the video online.

3. Bronislav Tutelman: Jewish photography

Chernivtsi Jewish artist Bronislav Tutelman presented a photo catalog in honor of his seventieth birthday with the participation of the artist and moderators Oleksandr Boychenko (Ukrainian literary critic, essayist) and Yuri Andrukhovych (Ukrainian writer, translator, essayist). At the same day the exhibition of his works from the catalog was opened. According to the artist, he loves the city not as a „show“ but as a „scenery“, so he walks in the morning before the „actors“ come out and takes photos of the city. The event was held online due to quarantine restrictions; however, it was live at regional TV channel UA: Bukovyna. About 250 people watched the video of the event on Facebook and about 3000 watched it on TV.

4. Poetry readings of Israeli poets Tal Nitzan and Yael Globermann and Ukrainian writer Andriy Lyubka.

Tal Nitzan and Yael Globermann participated online and read their poems in Hebrew, Andriy Lyubka translated the poems into Ukrainian, moderated the event, told about the poets and read the poems in Ukrainian. The live event was shown on Facebook and at the regional TV channel UA: Bukovyna. About 3000 people watched it online.

5. Reading of the poems by world famous Jewish poet Paul Celan

In translation of Ukrainian literary critic, professor, translator Petro Ryhlo, who dedicated his work to translation of Bukovinian German-speaking writers into Ukrainian language. The event took place in the yard of the house where Paul Celan was born. The live video was shown online on Facebook, about 1000 people watched it.

6. Excursion around the Paul Celan’s places in Chernivtsi by Petro Ryhlo

Petro Ryhlo is Ukrainian literary critic, professor, translator. The excursion started from the yard of the house where Paul Celan was born, continued at school where Paul Celan studied, the second house where Paul Celan lived and the monument dedicated to him. During the excursion Petro Ryhlo told about life of creative work by Paul Celan. Due to quarantine restrictions the excursion was held live for Facebook and TV channel UA: Bukovyna, about 5000 people watched the video online. It was also published at the pages of tourist information centres in Chernivtsi.

Photos: