The translation of the Torah into Ukrainian has been completed.

In the context of the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a unique project has been implemented — the translation of the Pentateuch of Moses into Ukrainian has been completed. The event took place on the eve of the Simchat Torah holiday and became a significant step in the process of transitioning from Russian to the Ukrainian language.

In honor of Simchat Torah, hundreds of copies have already been printed and distributed among the Jewish communities of the country. Thousands of additional copies are being sent to Ukrainian cities by the upcoming Shabbat Bereshit, which marks the beginning of a new cycle of Torah reading.

Translation Initiative

The project was led by Mikhail Shifrin, 53, a native of Kharkiv and owner of one of the largest printing houses in the city. He found his connection to Judaism through the chief rabbi of Kharkiv, Rabbi Moshe Moskowitz. Shifrin founded the printing house in 2005, after several years of working in the field of printing equipment.

Support from Rabbis and Funding

Mikhail Shifrin met Rabbi Mayer Stambler in one of the refugee camps on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary. This circumstance inspired him to support the project of printing Jewish literature in Ukrainian. His close friend Mark Vinersky also joined the collaboration.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine provided about a third of the project’s funding, while Shifrin and Vinersky covered the remaining expenses. In total, they invested over a million dollars in this non-profit educational project.

Impact of the War and Process Challenges

The project faced difficulties: Shifrin’s printing house was attacked, and as a result, two Russian shells damaged it, causing more than 3 million dollars in damage. Nevertheless, the work on translating the Torah did not stop.

The project involved a team of translators, linguists, and rabbis under Shifrin’s leadership. According to Rabbi Stambler, finding specialists fluent in Ukrainian proved to be a challenging task. The team often spent long hours discussing translation options for individual words, relying on existing translations in English and Russian.

Successes and Achievements

The work on translating the Torah lasted about two years, including the labor of translating sacred texts. Rabbi Levi Engelsman, overseeing the project from the Federation, noted that an important achievement was the completion of printing by Simchat Torah, to which the team dedicated a lot of effort.

Support from the President

The idea of the translation was partially initiated at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who received the first Ukrainian edition of the Psalms on his 45th birthday in January this year. The book was bound in leather with a personalized inscription.

Feedback and Significance

In his speech to foreign diplomats, the president quoted Psalm 3, which became a symbol of the resilience of Ukrainians in the apprenticeship of war. He addressed issues of faith and the spirit of the people, supporting the course towards unity and the fight against evil.

Significance of the Translation

Rabbi Moshe Moskowitz expressed the opinion that creating a translation of the Torah is a serious responsibility. He mentioned that Moses translated the Torah into seventy languages, emphasizing the importance of the work. A proper translation will allow more Jews to access the sacred text and avoid possible distortions in the interpretation of sacred texts.