Ukrainians and Jews in the world of Ivan Franko

Ivan Franko (1856-1916) is considered one of the founding fathers of modern Ukrainian literature. Yet his attitude towards Jews was often ambivalent in his literary and journalistic works.

The panel discussion “Ukrainians and Jews in the World of Ivan Franko” to be held at the upcoming 27 Lviv International BookForum will look at a wide spectrum of Franko’s beliefs. The panel discussion includes Yaroslav Hrytsak, Professor, Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv, Ukraine); Wolf Moskovich, Professor Emeritus, Hebrew University (Jerusalem, Israel); Serhii Plokhy, Professor, Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts).

The conversation is based on the recently published English-translation of Professor Hrytsak’s book Ivan Franko and His Community, which is available from the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press and the essay “Two Views on the Problems of Ukrainian-Jewish Relations. Ivan Franko and Vladimir (Zeev) Jabotinsky” which appeared in the book “Ivan Franko und die jüdische Frage in Galizien” (“Ivan Franko and the Jewish Question in Galicia”).  The essay is available here.

Professors Moskovich and Plokhy are board members of the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter.  Professor Hrytsak is a member of the organization’s Academic Council.

The 27 Lviv International BookForum will be held on-line 16-20 September 2020. The panel will be streamed on the forum’s website or here on Sunday, 20 September 2020 between 13:00-14:30 Kyiv, Ukraine time. Please check the UJE website and Facebook page for any schedule changes.