Exhibition "A Journey Through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter: From Antiquity to 1939" opens in Boryspil

Continuing its journey through the cities of Ukraine, the exhibition "A Journey Through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter: From Antiquity to 1939," created by UJE, came to Boryspil, a town in the Kyiv region.

The opening ceremony took place on 29 April in the Boryspil State Historical Museum and was an important part of the exhibition's cultural and educational itinerary, designed to showcase the centuries-old coexistence of the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples, their interactions, cultural influences, and shared historical experience.

In her opening address, Natalia Yova, Director of the Boryspil State Historical Museum, welcomed the audience, emphasized the importance of studying the multicultural history of one's native land, thanked the organizers of the project, and introduced Vladyslav Hrynevych, Jr., UJE's regional manager in Ukraine.

He spoke about the organization's activities, its key initiatives and supported publications, as well as the exhibition's history and main goal: to promote a better understanding of the centuries-old history of Ukrainian-Jewish relations. He also discussed the itinerary of this traveling exhibition and its significance for communities in different regions of Ukraine.

Yulia Krutevych, chief specialist at the Department of Culture of the Boryspil Town Council, presented a unique local history almanac that includes information on Boryspil's Jewish history.

The speech by Oleksandr Shved, head of the Boryspil Jewish community, aroused particular interest in the audience. He spoke about the community's current affairs and activities, as well as its role in the cultural and public life of Boryspil.

Borys Shapiro, a philanthropist and Boryspil Town Council member, expressed genuine interest in the exhibition and shared his knowledge of the town's Jewish history, particularly recalling that the local Jewish community made up about 12% of the town's population in the early 20th century and had two synagogues, an indication of its significance and integration in the town's life. His speech led to a lively discussion among those present about modern Ukrainian-Jewish relations.

The exhibition also attracted interest from the military. Iryna Yurchenko, head of the civil-military cooperation group at the headquarters of the 15th Oleh Antonov Transport Aviation Brigade, stationed in Boryspil, gave a speech. She was accompanied by Captain Artem Bykovetsky.

Zhanna Kruchynina, Director of the Viacheslav Chornovil Boryspil Public Library, also joined the discussion, sharing insights into the town's Jewish-related history pages and the activities and history of the public library itself. Boryspil artist Serhii Kravchun spoke about Boryspil's lost synagogues and the care taken of the local Jewish graves.

The exhibition in Boryspil was another important step towards preserving historical memory, developing intercultural dialogue, and deepening knowledge of Ukraine's multifaceted past.

After the official part, visitors explored the 20-panel exhibition, actively discussing the materials and sharing impressions. An important addition to the event was the distribution of copies of the catalog A Journey Through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter: From Antiquity to 1914, which visitors received as a gift.

Vladyslav Hrynevych, Jr., Regional Manager, UJE Ukraine