Anna Kivilsha

Sincere gratitude from the people of Podolia. In these difficult times, the festival has become not only a step towards studying the history of Jewish communities, but also to ensure that the ghosts of history do not reappear in our lands and give rise to new tragedies.

Lyudmyla Pavlenko, Chernihiv, Ukraine

The festival was dedicated to the relevant topic of comprehensive study of all aspects of the history of Eastern European Jewry and contributed to the growth of interest in this subject among young people from all regions of Ukraine and other countries. The structure of the event, the level of organization, and the results deserve the highest praise. It became a landmark event in Ukraine’s Jewish life and contributed to bringing together Jewish young leaders, which creates prospects for further development of cooperation.

Olha Yashna, Kyiv

My impressions are purely positive – Ukrainian Jewish life is developing in various directions, and such events provide an opportunity to share experience, hear criticism and praise, which inspires further development. The rich program included a plenary session, presentations in 6 sections, a roundtable, and excursions with a practical component (namely, reading matzevot at Jewish cemeteries). I am sincerely grateful to all the organizers and sponsors who helped bring the festival to life; this is truly a major event that is necessary for the development of Ukrainian Jewish life.

Special gratitude to the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund for supporting the event.

Olha Honcharova, Kharkiv 

Participating in Jew-Fest – Jewish knowledge festival – became an extraordinarily valuable personal experience for me. The program of the event was very rich and diverse, and I was particularly impressed by its interdisciplinarity: historical, cultural, philological, and artistic studies harmoniously intertwined with each other, opening new perspectives for understanding the Jewish history of Eastern Europe.

The discussions on the transformation of Jewish identity in the late 19th – early 20th centuries and during the interwar period, as well as questions of heritage preservation and memory in the contemporary context, were also of keen interest.

I would like to particularly highlight the atmosphere of the festival — intimate, intellectually enriching, and open to dialogue. Kamianets-Podilskyi, with its multi-layered historical landscape, became an ideal place for discussing topics related to memory, heritage, and identity. The overall organization of the conference left an extremely pleasant impression. All stages — from registration to closing discussions — were thought through to the smallest details and proceeded at a well-coordinated, comfortable pace.

I was pleasantly impressed by the organizers’ efficiency, their attentive attitude toward participants, and their assistance with logistical and practical matters. The venues for section sessions were conveniently located and well-equipped, which facilitated dynamic exchange of ideas and professional interaction. Particularly symbolic and atmospheric was the opening ceremony — a space that wonderfully emphasized the conference theme, combining historical depth and cultural context. The organizers managed to create a warm, intellectually stimulating atmosphere in which each participant felt valued as both a researcher and interlocutor. At the same time, a clear program structure was maintained, which allowed all planned events to be conducted on time without unnecessary rush.

I am sincerely grateful to the organising team for their professionalism, hospitality, and attention to detail. This level of conducting events is an excellent example of a community that nurtures a culture of dialogue, mutual respect, and openness to new ideas. I sincerely hope that the tradition of holding such Jewish festivals will continue in the future. Such events are extremely important for the development of research on the history, culture, and heritage of Eastern European Jewry. I hope for the continuation of this initiative in the coming years.

The event was held, in particular, with the support of the Zionist Federation of Ukraine (SFU) and the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund.