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'ZIONIST MESSAGE' FROM THE UKRAINE The Zionist Federation in the Ukraine held its Founding Conference and half the attendees were youth The Romanian Community was also recognized as a Zionist Federation, and the application of the Russian Community will be approved soon The Founding Conference of the Zionist Federation of the Ukraine was a moving event. Just 10 years ago such an assembly would have been unthinkable. The one most qualified to attest to that was Yosef Zissels, organizer of the gathering, who himself spent six years in Soviet prisons on account of his Zionist activity. What a sense of satisfaction he must have felt as he looked out upon the delegates, more than half of them, in their 20's and 30's. What a sense of satisfaction he must have had, knowing that a full 15,000 of the 45,000 olim who arrived in Israel during 2001 were from the Ukraine! Attending the conference from Jerusalem was Head of the Department for Zionist Activities of the WZO and member of the Jewish Agency Executive, Dr. David Breakstone, who shared with those present his appreciation for their efforts. He was not only there to strengthen them, he explained, but also, particularly in these difficult times, in order to be strengthened by their demonstration of solidarity and support for all that Israel stands for. And he promised to take their message back to others that Zionism in the Diaspora, even in the frigid cold of a Kiev winter, is still very much alive and well. And that as an idea and as a movement, it still matters. The Jewish communities in Russia and Romania have also recently organized to gain official recognition by the WZO for their Zionist Federations. The WZO Executive at the December 31 meeting formally approved Romania's request, and Russia's request will be addressed shortly, once all technical matters have been attended to. It is the expectation that all three communities will have representation at the upcoming Zionist Congress in June 2002, reclaiming their rightful place among their fellow Jews following decades of communist rule and oppression. The founding conference of the Zionist Federation in the Ukraine was held with the cooperation of the Jewish Agency for Israel, with which it will continue working in promoting its Zionist agenda.
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