The Jews of Ukraine: Baal Shem Tov to Zelensky: Jewish Quarterly 251

Description

As war devastates Eastern Europe, the Jews of Ukraine - who have played pivotal roles in modern Jewish culture and Ukrainian political life - face an uncertain future. This issue of The Jewish Quarterly explores the rich, tragic, tumultuous history of the Jews of Ukraine, who have played a pivotal role in modern religious, cultural and intellectual Jewish life. Ukraine has been the site of some of the darkest moments in Jewish history, yet its Jews were central to the foundation of the Hasidic and Zionist movements and to the advancement of Hebrew and Yiddish literature, as well as to the evolution of modern-day Ukraine. In a probing essay, Vladislav Davidzon, who has been observing and writing about Ukrainian Jewish life for more than a decade, explores the turbulent history and uncertain future of a community whose fate has often had repercussions for the world beyond. The issue also includes an essay by David Herman on the first seventy years of The Jewish Quarterly, a feature by Tali Lavi on the unusual Yiddish renaissance unfolding in Australia's second-largest city, an account by Harvey Belovski of a life-changing event that shaped the philosophy of Maimonides, and more.