In Ukraine, the ‘Jewish Song Contest for Girls and Women’ will take place – May 2026

In Ukraine, a Jewish song contest for girls and women has been announced

In Ukraine, the “Jewish Song Contest for Girls and Women” (originally in Ukrainian «Конкурс єврейської пісні для дівчат і жінок») has started — a musical initiative for girls, young women, and women associated with the Kyiv Jewish community.

The contest poster lists the organizers: “Єврейська громада / Jewish Community” at the Brodsky Synagogue in Kyiv and “Shaarei Nashim” — a women’s Jewish organization Chabad Lubavitch. The Brodsky Synagogue is located at: Kyiv, Shota Rustaveli St., 13.

The contest announcement was also spread by the Lyceum “Mitzva-613” — a private Jewish lyceum and kindergarten operating in Anatevka, in the village of Hnatovka, Kyiv region.

Registration is open until May 15, 2026. Participants are invited to apply, showcase their voice, become a contestant, and compete for a prize. The poster prominently features the phrase: “Win $200 for a song!”

The contest is designed for two age categories: 7–16 years and 16+.

There are three prize places for the winners.

Who is behind the contest

In this story, it is important to correctly understand which organizations are mentioned in the announcement and what role they play.

Єврейська громада / Jewish Community

Jewish Community / Jewish Community — the Kyiv Jewish community associated with the Brodsky Synagogue in the center of Kyiv. It is one of the notable community structures of the capital, around which religious, cultural, educational, and social initiatives take place.

This community framework is indicated on the contest poster.

Brodsky Synagogue

Brodsky Synagogue — the central synagogue of Kyiv located at Shota Rustaveli St., 13. It is an important place of Jewish life in the Ukrainian capital.

Here, prayers, holidays, community meetings, educational and cultural events take place. For many Jews in Kyiv, the Brodsky Synagogue remains not only a religious center but also a point of connection with the community.

Shaarei Nashim

“Shaarei Nashim” — a women’s Jewish organization Chabad Lubavitch. In the context of the contest, its role is especially important because the event itself is aimed specifically at girls, young women, and women.

This is not just a music contest. It is part of women’s Jewish community activity, where there is room for culture, voice, stage, tradition, and women’s participation in community life.

Lyceum “Mitzva-613”

Lyceum “Mitzva-613” — a private Jewish lyceum and kindergarten in Anatevka, the village of Hnatovka, Kyiv region. The educational institution works with children from Jewish families and combines regular education with Jewish tradition, upbringing, and community environment.

In this story, the lyceum is important as an educational structure that spread the contest announcement and is connected with Jewish life near Kyiv.

Anatevka

Anatevka — a Jewish humanitarian and educational center near Kyiv. It is located in the village of Hnatovka, Kyiv region, and is associated with the initiative of the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman.

Anatevka was created after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014 as a place to help displaced persons. Over time, it has become not only a space for families who survived the war to live but also a place where a school, kindergarten, community projects, and Jewish infrastructure operate.

The name Anatevka refers to the Jewish shtetl from the stories of Sholem Aleichem about Tevye the Dairyman. Therefore, for the Ukrainian Jewish community, it is not just a location but a symbol of life continuation after exile, war, and loss.

Moshe Reuven Asman

Moshe Reuven Asman — the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, associated with the Anatevka project. His role in this story is manifested through the support of community, humanitarian, and educational infrastructure, especially after the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Anatevka has become one of the examples of how the Jewish community in Ukraine not only helps people in crisis periods but also creates conditions for normal life, education, and preservation of tradition.

Why the contest is important right now

The Jewish song contest for girls and women is a small event in scale but very indicative in meaning.

Against the backdrop of war, such initiatives are especially noticeable. Ukraine has been living under the pressure of Russian aggression for many years, and the Jewish communities of the country are going through this time together with all of Ukraine.

The Jews of Ukraine are not standing aside from what is happening.

They serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteer, help displaced persons, support the army, collect humanitarian aid, work with international partners, and explain to the world what is really happening in Ukraine.

But community life cannot be reduced only to war.

Even during alarms, evacuations, losses, and constant tension, Jewish organizations continue to teach children, hold cultural events, support women, preserve songs, language, traditions, holidays, and the connection of generations.

That is why the Jewish song contest is significant. It shows that Jewish life in Ukraine is not on pause.

Song as part of a living tradition

A Jewish song is not just music.

It contains family memory, language, prayer, joy of holidays, shtetl culture, women’s voice, and the connection between generations.

For girls and women, participating in such a contest can become not just a performance on stage. It is a way to feel part of the community, hear their own voice, and touch tradition not through a textbook but through live performance.

In this sense, the contest unites several directions at once: Kyiv, Brodsky Synagogue, the women’s organization “Shaarei Nashim”, Lyceum “Mitzva-613”, Anatevka, and modern Jewish life in Ukraine.

In the middle of this story, NAnovosti — Israel News | Nikk.Agency sees not just a local announcement, but an important sign: Jewish Ukraine continues to live, learn, help, sing, and raise new generations even during the war.

Jewish communities of Ukraine during Russian aggression

Russian aggression has changed the life of all Ukraine, and Jewish communities are no exception. After 2014, and especially after the full-scale invasion in 2022, they faced several tasks at once: security, evacuation, helping the elderly, supporting families, educating children, humanitarian work, and preserving community life.

Many Ukrainian Jews defend the country with weapons in hand. Others help the army, collect aid, support refugees, work in volunteer projects, engage in diplomatic and informational support for Ukraine abroad.

This is a very important part of reality.

But equally important is another: Jewish communities in Ukraine continue to live not only in defense mode. They maintain the ability for cultural development. They hold holidays, support schools, organize women’s projects, develop children’s programs, preserve memory, and give people the opportunity to feel part of a large Jewish history.

The Jewish song contest for girls and women is precisely about this.

It does not cancel the war, does not pretend that everything is normal, and does not replace humanitarian work. But it shows that even in difficult times, the community has room for culture, voice, stage, childhood, and women’s participation.

Ukraine, Israel, and the Jewish connection

For the Israeli audience, this story also has special significance. Jewish life in Ukraine is not only the past, the Holocaust, old shtetls, and family memory. It is also today’s schools, synagogues, children, community centers, volunteers, rabbis, teachers, women who continue to build life here and now.

Ukraine occupies an important place in Jewish history. Generations of Jews lived here, Hasidic centers arose here, Yiddish, Hebrew, prayers, songs, and family stories were heard here. Today, during the Russian war against Ukraine, this connection has not disappeared.

It has become different — heavier, more responsible, but alive.

When a Jewish song contest for girls, young women, and women is announced in Kyiv and Anatevka, it looks like a small news item. But behind it is a big picture: the community not only survives but continues to pass on culture.

What is important to remember

«Конкурс єврейської пісні для дівчат і жінок» — is a community musical initiative in Ukraine for girls, young women, and women.

The organizers listed on the poster are “Єврейська громада / Jewish Community” at the Brodsky Synagogue in Kyiv and “Shaarei Nashim” — a women’s Jewish organization Chabad Lubavitch.

The Brodsky Synagogue is located at: Kyiv, Shota Rustaveli St., 13.

The contest announcement was also spread by the Lyceum “Mitzva-613” — a Jewish lyceum and kindergarten in Anatevka, the village of Hnatovka, Kyiv region.

Registration is open until May 15, 2026.

Participant categories: 7–16 years and 16+.

Conclusion

The story of the Jewish song contest shows how Jewish communities in Ukraine live during Russian aggression.

They are not separate from the country. They, together with all of Ukraine, fight back, serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteer, help displaced persons, support the army, work on the international stage, and tell the world the truth about the war.

But at the same time, they maintain not only the ability to survive but also the ability to live.

Jewish communities in Ukraine continue to teach children, support women, conduct cultural initiatives, preserve tradition, sing, celebrate, build educational projects, and pass on memory to the next generations.

The Jewish song contest for girls and women is exactly such an example. It does not have loud politics, but it has what often turns out to be stronger than slogans: voice, culture, community, and life that continues even during the war.