Jews from Ukraine: Yura Lifshits. How a Kiev resident stopped a train heading to Auschwitz with just one pistol and saved more than a hundred prisoners
In our section “Jews from Ukraine,” we will tell the story of the heroic act of Yuri Lifshits, a Kyiv native who stopped the “death train” heading to Auschwitz and saved over 100 Jews. His story is an example of heroism and courage that continues to inspire people to fight against injustice. On April 19, […]
Jews from Ukraine: Moshe Segal from Poltava, the man who was arrested for blowing the shofar in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur
The story of Moshe (Moshe-Tzvi) Segal is the trajectory from Poltava to Jerusalem. Youth in the Ukrainian Jewish environment, strict study routine, and the first Zionist circles turn into a public gesture of freedom at the Western Wall on Yom Kippur in 1930. He gave the final sound of the shofar — tekiah gedolah — […]
Video: “SHO?” – how trials, faith and support turned the restaurant into a “place of power” for Ukrainians in Israel – Ganna Andrienko on the UDM Israel channel
Hanna Andriienko shares the story of transforming a karaoke club into the restaurant “SHO?”, the wave of challenges she faced, and how her project brings together the Ukrainian and Jewish communities in Tel Aviv and Israel. On July 9, 2025, the second episode of the “Balachky” podcast was released on the UDM Israel channel, in […]
Irena Maman: how a seamstress, a repatriate from Ukraine, became a heroine for soldiers in Northern Israel, despite shelling and financial difficulties
Irena Mamana repatriate from Zhitomir (Ukraine), became a real heroine of northern Israel. She sews bulletproof vests, repairs uniforms and helps soldiers, forgetting about herself, despite the shelling and financial difficulties. Her story was told Nikita Aronov on the Israeli portal “Details“. Irena Maman is one of five returnees honored on November 7 for their […]
“Well, shall we go?” – through hiking, the new “Ukrainian” community is discovering Israel – and invites everyone interested
“Well, shall we go?” In Israel, a new non-profit community for lovers of routes, nature, and live communication is rapidly developing. The initiative “Well, shall we go?”, created in November 2025 by “Ukrainians” in a broad cultural sense, gradually unites various Israelis — from new immigrants to those who grew up here but maintain a […]
Exhibition “This is (not) my war”: Ukrainian artists in Israel speak about the impossibility of neutrality – from January 15 to February 26, 2026, Bat Yam
(original: “This is (not) my war / זו (לא) מלחמה שלי”) On January 15, 2026, a group exhibition of Ukrainian artists living and working in Israel opens in Bat Yam. The project “This is (not) my war” is an open invitation to a conversation about war as a common experience and shared responsibility, where neutrality […]
“Shameful gathering of Jewish and Ukrainian nationalists”: in 1966, the first rally took place in Babyn Yar
What Happened and Why It’s a Turning Point At the end of September 1966, Kyiv residents independently held a commemoration at Babyn Yar for the first time in a quarter of a century. September 24 — a small quiet action (about fifty people), September 29 — already hundreds. Thus began the city’s “lower” memory, returning […]
Jews from Ukraine: 8 natives of Ukraine depicted on Israeli banknotes
The history of ties between the Jewish people and Ukraine is amazing and multifaceted. The contribution of the natives of Ukrainian lands to the development of the Jewish state is reflected even in the symbols of Israel, such as the national currency – the shekel. Portraits of 8 great personalities born on Ukrainian soil adorn […]
“Here, eat it, you feed on human flesh”: If Ivan the Terrible had not destroyed Veliky Novgorod: what Russia might have looked like and what the Jews lost
Destroyed Alternative In January 1570, Ivan the Terrible committed not just mass murder. He carried out a civilizational crime — the destruction of Great Novgorod, Russia’s last chance to follow the path of European development. A republic with a veche (popular assembly), elected bodies, developed trade, and religious tolerance was wiped off the map. Muscovy […]
From occupied Lugansk to Israel: the story of a Ukrainian teacher who continues to teach mathematics online to her students from Haifa
The story of Maya Rybnikova: from occupied Lugansk to Haifa. A significant event for the Ukrainian diaspora took place in Haifa, in the heart of Israel. The Embassy of Ukraine handed over the state award on December 19, 2024 “Honored Teacher of Ukraine” Maya Rybnikova is a math teacher from Russian-occupied Severodonetsk. This award is […]
Video: Ukrainian Community in Israel: Language, Politics, and Breaking with Russian Narratives. Michael Goldstein – UDM Israel – “Balachki” #4
NAnews presents a review of the podcast “BalachkI” with Michael Goldstein. The Ukrainian community in Israel and key topics — language, politics, volunteering, barriers for Russians, and relations between Ukraine and Israel. The Ukrainian community in Israel: language, politics and breaking away from Russian narratives NAnews presents a new review: premiere of the 4th episode […]
Mordechai Kreuser: an Israeli citizen who has been feeding internally displaced people free kosher meals in Ukraine for 3 years – video
“This is my way of saying thank you to G-d that we have food and shelter,” – says Mordechai. The story of Mordechai Kreuser is a shining example of human solidarity and selflessness. An Israeli citizen who came to Transcarpathia to revive the Jewish community became a savior for thousands of Ukrainian immigrants. For the […]
Since 1976, the Ukrainian mosaic icon of the “Zarvanitsky Mother of God” in Nazareth has occupied one of the central places in the Basilica of the Annunciation – how did this happen?
Entering the churchyard of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, you immediately notice the beautiful mosaic depicting Ukrainian Zarvanitsky Mother of Godlocated directly opposite the main entrance to the temple. It is surprising that this image ended up in such an important place, among the mosaics of other countries – as if the Virgin […]
When evil returns to Europe: the cost of Russia’s inhumane war against Ukraine
A column by Yevhen Korniychuk, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, was published in the Jerusalem Post. The occasion for the text was a tragedy that occurred in Kyiv just a few days ago. Yevgenia Bezfamilnaya has died — a woman who survived the Holocaust. She, who survived one of the darkest periods in human […]
Ukraine at the Center of Global Jewish Education: Ukrainian Schools and Educators Among the Finalists of the Yael Awards 2026
Ukraine is among the key countries represented among the finalists of the prestigious international Yael Awards 2026, dedicated to outstanding achievements in Jewish education. The list includes educational projects and schools from Kyiv and Mykolaiv, alongside participants from Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. The finalists were announced, reported jpost, […]
Ukrainian Yaroslava Levitskaya is the only Righteous Among the Nations who currently lives in Israel and was honored with a memorial sign during her lifetime
Haifa knows and honors a modest heroine — a native of Zolochiv (Lviv region, Ukraine). On February 12, 2025, she turned 90 years old. In the Righteous Among the Nations Garden in Haifa, where 20 memorial stones bear the names of those who saved Jews and once lived in the city, Yaroslava Levytska remains the […]
Viktor Bayrak in Israel: Odessa Humor and Human Truth – Haifa, Petah Tikva, and Be’er Sheva – January 16, 19, and 24, 2026
In January 2026, a series of concerts by one of the most recognizable Ukrainian bards, Viktor Bayrak, will take place in Israel. Poet, artist, satirist, volunteer, intellectual — his songs combine Odessa irony, deep humanity, and inner strength capable of supporting the listener even in the toughest times. Three cities, three stages, three different moods […]
Who are the Circassians of northern Israel?
Although they are Muslims and are often grouped with the Druze, the Circassians are neither ethnically Arabs nor even from the historical Levantine region — they are… Circassians and originate from the Black Sea region of the Caucasus. In many ways, their history is similar to that of the Jews, with exile and genocide, preserving […]
How Jared Kushner's Jewish roots connect Ukraine and Trump: an unexpected find from Pidgaitsy, Ternopil region of Ukraine
Why not? Heading “Jews from Ukraine” on the website NAnews is dedicated to the unique history and achievements of Ukrainian Jews, their contribution to the development of Israel and Jewish communities around the world, strengthening cultural and historical ties between peoples. This article is just research for now 🙂 by an enthusiast…… History often brings […]
For over 60 years, Jews have been asking to recognize Ukrainian Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky as Righteous Among the Nations – history
We remember Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky — a renowned Ukrainian, recognized as a savior of Jews both in the Jewish community of Ukraine and in Israel. However, he still does not hold the title of Righteous Among the Nations. The story of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky is shared in our section “!! History and Facts” because his […]