A delegation of Israeli parliamentarians visited Kyiv on June 29-30. The delegation included the Chairman of the Israel Division of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), Kadima representative Shai Hermesh, Deputy Chairman of the WJC Israel Division, Secretary General of Yisrael Beitenu Faina Kirshenbaum, Beitenu Spokesman Mark Kotlarsky and David Godovsky.
Negotiations were held between the representatives of the Israeli parliament and the Minister of Culture and Toursim Mikhail Kulinyak. Questions of cooperation for the preparation of important cultural events in Ukraine were discussed, as well as positive expectations in tourism and mutual cultural enrichment that should result from the abolishment of the visa regime between the two countries. The parliamentarians also met with the Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Presidential Administration Anna German.
An important part of the visit was the meeting between Knesset deputies and the leaders of different religions. The Israeli visitors held negotiations with Metropolitan Vladymir of Kyiv, Patriarch of Kyiv and All Ukraine Philaret, head of the Churches of Christians of Evangelical Faith Mikhail Panochko, Vicary General of the Episcopate of the Roman Catholic Church Markiyan Trofimyak and the major Kyivo-Galitsky Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church Lubomir Guzar. The leaders of the Christian churches of Ukraine discussed the religious situation in Ukraine and Israel with the Israeli parliamentaries, and mapped out possible ways of cooperation to ensure pilgrimage in both countries.
The Knesset representatives also met with the leaders of the Ukrainian Jewish community, including Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yakov Dob Blaih, Head Rabbi of Progressive Judaism in Ukraine Alexander Duchovny, Ambassador of the State of Israel in Kiev Zina Kalai-Kleitman, representatives of JAFI, JDC, Jewish educational and research organizations. The receiving party for the delegation in Ukraine was the Kyiv office of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), which also organized the interfaith negotiations. The director of the EAJC programs Alexander Galkin took part in all negotiations. The visit ended in an official reception given by the EAJC in honor of the Israeli guests in the kosher restaurant “King David.”