Bila Tserkva, a city in the center of Ukraine, 50 miles from Kyiv, is home to more than 250 Jewish families. While the community is relatively small in a city of more than 200,000 people, the roots date back to the 17th century. In the 19th century, Jews comprised nearly half the population of the city, owning many workshops and factories. The city was an important Jewish center for sharing ideas about politics, religion, art, and culture, and was host to many artists and writers, including Sholem Aleichem. The Jewish population in Bila Tserkva began to decline in the 1920s, when thousands of Jews were killed, first in the pogroms and then due to the famine (more than 22,000 people died in the Bila Tserkva area). In 1939, Jews made up 20% of the city’s residents. During the Holocaust, the city was occupied by the Nazis for more than two years, after the tragic Bila Tserkva massacre; a monument to Jewish Children and the Holocaust was unveiled in Bila Tserkva in 2019.
In 2001, Bila Tserkva's Jewish population had shrunk to .1% of city residents. Since that time, rabbis and community leaders worked hard to rebuild the Jewish community, which now includes a synagogue, community center, schools and much more. Since the crisis began in February 2022, we have regularly provided humanitarian aid and support of all kinds including food, medicine, shelter, medical and mental health care, glasses, and programs for children. We recently opened our school doors and once again provided children with backpacks and supplies, and we distributed holiday packages throughout the community. Preparations are underway to issue warm clothes, household items and emergency kits before winter arrives.
The people of Bila Tserkva have endured great hardship over the years, and the suffering continues today. With encouragement and support from community leaders, JRNU staff and volunteers, and people around the world, the Jews of Bila Tserkva continue to persevere, and they look forward to brighter days in 5784 and beyond.
