Jewish pride of Ukraine: Deputy Minister affixed a mezuzah in the very heart of the government in Kyiv

November 6, 2025, the publication Israel National News reported on an event that at first glance may seem private, but in essence became a symbol of a new era in the history of the Jewish community of Ukraine. Deputy Minister of Geology David (Leonid) Muzikus installed a mezuzah on the door of his office in the government complex in Kyiv — in the very heart of Ukrainian power. For many, this became a moment of pride and inspiration, a sign that Jewish identity in Ukraine today is not only preserved but also finds its place in the state space.

A small scroll — and a big statement: Jewish faith lives not in the shadows, but at the center of Ukrainian power.

An Ordinary Day That Became a Symbol

In the morning, everything looked almost routine: the corridors of the Cabinet, security, employees with folders, hushed conversations.
But next to the door of one of the offices, two people stopped — Chief Rabbi of Kyiv Yonatan Markovich and his son Ariel. With them was Muzikus, who held a tiny case with a scroll.
When the mezuzah took its place on the doorpost, the rabbis recited a blessing. And then David Muzikus put on tefillin — and all this happened in the building where state decisions are made.

From Symbol to Meanings

A mezuzah is not an amulet. It is a sign of a home that remembers faith. In Kyiv, it appeared for the first time not on the door of a synagogue, but on the door of a government office.
For the Jewish community, it is a moment when the past and present met face to face.
For Ukraine, it is a moment of maturity: faith ceases to be a private matter.

Why Now

Ukraine is at war. And against the backdrop of anxieties, destruction, and new challenges, this quiet ritual sounds louder than any speeches.
While explosions thunder in the east, in Kyiv they strengthen the symbol of peace and memory.
In this, there is an almost Israeli logic: faith is not in words, but in action.

David Muzikus — A Man Between Worlds

He is an engineer, scientist, official, and at the same time — a member of the Jewish community who is not afraid to be himself.
Colleagues describe him as calm, methodical, yet with unexpected inner strength.
He does not make loud statements. He simply affixes a mezuzah. And by doing so, he says more than any press briefing.

The Rabbi’s Voice

Chief Rabbi of Kyiv Yonatan Markovich said briefly that day:

“This is not about politics. It’s about faith and about the fact that a person should remember who they are, even if they are at the center of power.”

His words later spread across social networks — from Kyiv to Tel Aviv.

Israel Sees More Than a Gesture

In the Israeli press, the event was called a “bridge of identity.”
In a country where faith and state go hand in hand, the act of the Ukrainian official elicited respect.
He showed that Jewish tradition is alive in Kyiv — and does not need permission to be visible.

Historical Echo

It brings to mind times when Jewish symbols were hidden. When mezuzahs were removed to “not provoke.”
Now — the opposite. Ukraine, having survived pogroms and Soviet atheism, reclaims its right to spirituality.
And it does so not through slogans, but through gestures that are hard to miss.

A New Connection Between Ukraine and Israel

Today, hundreds of thousands of Jews — natives of Ukraine — live in Israel.
Many of them perceive such news as a personal sign — Ukraine remembers its people.
Between the two countries, not only a diplomatic but also an emotional bridge is being built.

Religion and Civic Maturity

Ukraine has long avoided religious topics in politics.
But the war changed everything: faith became not a dividing, but a unifying factor.
The mezuzah in the Cabinet is not about religiosity, but about the right to be oneself, about pride in one’s roots, and about honesty before one’s own people.

A Small Scroll — A Big Story

In Judaism, the mezuzah always looks inward — to the home, to the heart.
But when it hangs on the door of a ministry, it seems to look outward — at the whole country.
At those who try to build the future without renouncing the past.

What It Means for Society

This episode is not about religion.
It’s about memory. About the fact that faith can be quiet and yet influential.
About the fact that in a country at war, there is room for a gesture that does not divide, but unites.

Final Accents

The act of David Muzikus is not a public performance.
It is an act of self-respect and faith in a country that is learning to be a home for everyone.
Israel National News reported on it succinctly but emotionally on November 6, 2025: a mezuzah appeared on the door of power in Kyiv.

And perhaps this very moment is the best definition of Jewish pride in Ukraine today.