Potatoes and Pickles

Well, I made it! I arrived in Dnepropetrovsk exactly one week ago today which is hard to believe; I feel like I've been here so much longer which, in a way, I have. I mentioned in my last post that my family was from Dnepro (at the time, Ekaterinoslav); thus, I have been introduced around town as Ukrainian. This morning, I spent time at Tkuma, the Holocaust research center which is helping me trace my roots in the city.

The short plane ride from Vienna was itself a good introduction to Dnepropetrovsk. The majority of passengers were men flying in for business, mostly heavy industry. Others were Chabad-niks (a particular sect of Orthodox Jews) on their way home from a conference in New York. I was especially happy to meet a Jewish man who is opening a kosher sushi restaurant here. The best part is that they deliver! Over time, I look forward to sharing how both of these very different groups have come to influence the region.

The city is divided into two parts, east and west, by the Dnepir River. My apartment is in the center of the city not far from the markets, shopping, theatre and public transportation. The city is a combination of both old and new. At the outdoor market you can buy fruits, vegetables, cheese and meat grown locally by small family farmers on the periphery of the city. Nearby at the supermarket, it looks like any grocery store in the U.S. except for the aisle (a really long one) dedicated only to vodka. Otherwise, I am still getting to know my way around.

In the week that I arrived, I spent most of my time on the road visiting the communities that JDC serves in this region, Eastern Ukraine. The JDC provides a wide-range of services to clients with a particular focus on both welfare needs and Jewish renewal.

The welfare services are delivered through local organizations around the former Soviet Union known as Heseds. In general, they provide services to the most needy including the elderly, persons with special needs and children-at-risk. In most cities, you will also find a Jewish Community Center/JCC and synagogue.

I visited these programs throughout the region in Dnepro, Zaporozye, Donetsk and Lugansk. Our overnight trip to Lugansk was particularly exciting as our office attended the community-wide celebration of the 10th anniversary of their Hesed. Lugansk is the most remote area served by this office in Eastern Ukraine and is close to the Russian border (it was particularly cold there) and home to 8,000 Jews in the city and nearly 15,000 in the periphery. The celebration was followed by a traditional fochette (toast) with leaders of the community and a festive, all-night Ukrainian feast. All regional Hesed directors attended which also served as an opportunity for this group to meet and for me to understand the unique challenges they face in their work. It was exhausting and the six hour drive home finally gave us a chance to catch our breathe!

I will end by saying that Ukrainians are a very generous and kind people. Everyone I met has gone out of their way to make me feel at home. Of course, this also includes doing their best to make sure I am well-fed. Unfortunately, the concept of vegetarianism hasn't caught on here. I've had more potatoes (fried, boiled, baked, stewed, mashed and creamed) than you can imagine. And, when in doubt, the vegetarian meal of choice seems to be a hearty plate of potatoes and pickles!