Irina Klimova, artist.

I do accept the center of spiritual heritage, a museum on the territory of Babiy Yar or near by. However, I do not accept outright the community center with its needlework or dancing sections there. I think that before making a present to Jews one should ask them if they need it. I am not aware that Jews were asked their opinion on the location of the center. I am sure that many of them do not accept this idea by all means. It may happen that crowds of people interested in community programs will go there. They will merrily pass the road along which their relatives and friends walked for the last time in 1941. The idea is rather strange. I have to remind you that by tradition the Jewish cemetery was located outside the residential zone. It might by beyond the river, over the hill but never near residential houses.

No doubt, Kiev needs a museum of Jewish heritage because it is the center of Jewish spiritual and material culture. It may host and exhibit great treasures. But I would like to see the center like "Yad-va-Shem" with a museum, small picture gallery and a memory path. However, in all projects under discussion, the memorial occupies a limited space. The priority is given to different studious. There is no sense in this because even today the existing community centers are not full. Some are even empty, say "The Sunflower". It looks like the new center will share the same fate.