We recently began an initiative to encourage reading and instill an interest in Jewish learning among children in Ukraine. The SpaceBook Challenge, a project we supported along with the Federation of Jewish Communities and other organizations, reached more than 1,600 participants from 37 cities across 7 countries, transforming young learners’ relationship with literature and Jewish teachings. In Ukraine, participants hailed from Zaporozhe, Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, Chernihiv, Kropyvnytskyi, and Kyiv.
The SpaceBook Challenge encouraged youth to create reading corners and photo zones, to enhance their enjoyment of reading and learning. Participants explored cultural institutions including libraries, museums, and publishing houses, and they actively shared their experiences through video recordings and 3D books. One of the program directors, Rabbi Shlomo Ne’eman, emphasized the importance of the program in today’s digital age: “In the world of screens and attention-grabbing devices, it is becoming harder and harder to attract youngsters to explore reading books and enrich their knowledge, imagination and skills. The results [of the program] are fascinating, changing the lives of our future generation.”
The youth who participated in the Challenge earned “precious stones” for their “Knowledge Flask,” preparing them for the upcoming “Peaks of Knowledge” competition later this year.
We continue to find ways to keep the youth of Ukraine engaged in positive activities, to uplift their spirits and strengthen their connection to the community. After more than 3 years of stress and fear from the war and living under martial law, it is more important than ever that we tend to the spiritual and mental health of all the people in Ukraine, most especially the younger generation--they are the future.
