Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand is one of the most popular American actresses and singers of Jewish origin. She has won two Oscars and Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe awards. She was born in 1942 in New York and has a deep family connection with Ukraine, as her Jewish ancestors come from these lands. Isaac and Anna Streisand, Barbra's paternal grandparents, immigrated to the United States from Galicia at the end of the 19th century. Isaac Streisand was born in Buchach and later moved to Berezhany, his last place of residence in Galicia, as evidenced by his documents. Isaac and Anna married in the United States, and their son Emanuel became the father of Barbra Streisand.
Barbra grew up in a family of modest means. Her mother worked as a school secretary but was also a singer and seriously considered pursuing a musical career in her youth. Her father was a schoolteacher. Barbra made her stage debut when she was 15. She dreamed primarily of a theatrical career but, lacking invitations to acting roles, was happy to sing on stage. Over time, her openness and perseverance paid off, opening the way to Broadway, where she fully realized her vocal and acting abilities.
In addition to achievements in the film and music industries, Barbra Streisand is also known for her charitable activities. In 1984, she supported the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she opened the Emanuel Streisand School of Jewish Studies, dedicated to and named after her father, an educator and scientist who died at age 35. Today, Barbra is a well-known activist for climate change issues, nuclear disarmament, and women's rights. She supports research and education programs for women with cardiovascular diseases and has joined fundraising efforts for IDF charities.
On 22 September 2022, Streisand was invited to become an ambassador for the UNITED24 platform, a global initiative to support Ukraine during the Russian-Ukrainian war, where she focused on the Medical Aid track. As part of this initiative, she donated USD 240,000 for medical care. The Ukrainian brand ETNODIM crafted two exclusive embroidered shirts for the UNITED24 initiative, using patterns characteristic of the Ternopil region, where Barbra's grandparents come from. One of these embroidered shirts was given to Barbra, while the other one went to the winner of a charity auction to finance the reconstruction of a school destroyed by Russian missiles.
As the Kyiv Post reported in May 2023, Barbra Streisand sent out the following appeal: "I received a wonderful embroidered shirt from the government organization United24. It depicts the patterns of the Ternopil region, where my paternal grandparents come from. You can win the same embroidered shirt by making a donation for the reconstruction of a school in the village of Buzova. Let's help Ukrainian children return to school together."
