The 4th Kyiv Jewish Forum (Kyiv Jewish Forum) was held online by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine (JCU), the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), and the Center for Jewish Impact.

This year, KJF was wholly dedicated to the devastating war on the territory of Ukraine, the international support for this country, and the role of the world Jewish community in saving human lives, among which there are many Ukrainian Jews. In addition, influential speakers from around the world discussed scenarios for ending the bloodshed and restoring the post-war world.

The first day of the Forum was marked by speeches of Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, Chairman of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine Boris Lozhkin, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, General Director of the US Anti-Defamation League Jonathan Greenblatt, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korneichuk, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky, head of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), ex-US Senator Ted Deutsch, as well as many diplomats, scientists, politicians, public and state figures of world renown from all over the world.

The second day of the Forum was attended by the Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Dr. Haim Ben Yakov; the Defense Minister of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov; the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Igor Klymenko; the Minister of Diaspora Affairs of Israel, Amichai Shikli; Member of the Parliamentary Commission on Ukrainian-Israeli Cooperation, MK Zeev Elkin, former head of the Jewish Agency, activist and public figure Natan Sharansky, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Azman, alongside many diplomats, scientists, politicians, public and state figures of world renown from all over the world.

The press office of the EAJC cites the EAJC Director General, Dr. Haim Ben Yakov’s address to the organizers and participants of the Kyiv Jewish Forum:

Dear friends.

I am glad to welcome the organizers and participants of the 4th Kyiv Jewish Forum. First, I would like to thank our dear partner and friend, the First Vice-President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Boris Lozhkin, for this important ongoing initiative.

We are pleased to cooperate with the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine for the benefit of one of the largest Jewish communities in the post-Soviet space and are grateful to Boris Lozhkin for his significant contribution to Ukrainian Jewry.

Kyiv Jewish Forum has become a powerful platform among global Jewish leadership, and I am happy to represent the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress here today.

In this challenging time for the whole world and the Jewish community in Ukraine, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who did not leave those in need without support. Our gratitude goes to all those who contributed and assisted in the evacuation of citizens to safe places, to local Jewish leaders who did not leave their communities and continued to provide the Jews who remained in Ukraine with everything they needed, to donors, Jewish organizations and leaders around the world who donated generously for the numerous needs of the war victims.

Last year, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress devoted its primary efforts to providing substantial financial and humanitarian aid to those affected by the war. At such times, more than anything else, saving lives – is our true mission and purpose.

In this complex reality, we, the leadership of the leading Jewish organizations in the world, must unite, be ready to react quickly, respond to requests, and come to the rescue when and where needed.

We must continue to strive and do whatever we can to end this deadly war. But, in a sincere hope that it will end soon, we have to consider “the day after” as well – how will the Jewish world look and whether the Jewish communal life in the region will be affected?

Therefore, this forum is an important platform that allows us to reflect on what has already been done, assess potential opportunities and risks, and discuss our next steps.

On behalf of the EAJC President, Dr. Michael Mirilshvili, and the leadership of the Congress, I salute all the forum participants and wish you fruitful work. We hope to see the practical outcomes in the nearest future.

I wish peace to all of us.

Thank you for your attention.

Peace and blessing from Israel!”