Euroasian Jewish News
Kiev, Odessa, and Dnepropetrovsk Host Demonstrations of Solidarity With Israel
11.01.2009
On the 9th of January, in Odessa several dozen people took part in a demonstration of solidarity with Israel . The rally was held under several slogans, including "No to terror!" and "We love Israel!" The speakers stressed that they support the IDF fight against terrorism. Mostly young people participated.
On the 11th of December, similar, but larger demonstrations took place in Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk.
Approximately 150 people gathered around the Embassy of the State of Israel in the capital of Ukraine. Zina Kalai-Kleitman, the Ambassador of Israel to Ukraine, Josef Zissels, the chairman of the General Council of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and chairman of the Vaad of Ukraine, and a number of others spoke before the gathered. The main organizers of the rally were the Ukrainian Jewish Student Union and the "Beitar" youth movement. As in Odessa, young people made the bulk of attendees in the rally.
Even larger was the demonstration of solidarity in Dnepropetrovsk, which gathered over a thousand people, and was organized by the Jewish community of Dnepropetrovsk. The numerous speakers at the rally included the chief rabbi of Dnepropetrovsk and the Dnepropetrovsk region Schmuel Kaminetsky, other representatives of the Jewish community, the deputies of local councils, representatives of various regional national and cultural associations, cultural workers and local community representatives. Gersh Korol, the chairman of the Jewish religious community, read a prayer for the warriors of the IDF.
On the 14th of January at 12:00, there will be another rally in support of Israel, which will take place in front of the Embassy of Israel.
Photos: the speech of Josef Zissels in front of the Israeli Embassy; the rally in Kiev (photos by Victoria Dykhne, Josef Zissels).
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