KRYMCHAKS AND KARAIMS

HANUKKAH IN KRESHCHATIK

PRAGUE'S WINTER

AT MENORAH'S FOOT

A noticeable protest was expressed during an International forum on culture and national identification "Crimean local cultures and their role in Ukraine's future". This was done by a board member of the Crimean society of Krymchaks Igor Achkinazi and chairman of the Society of Crimean Karaims Vladimir Orneli. They got offended by the report "Jewish nations of Crimea (Ashkenazi, Krymchaks and Karaims)", which referred their national groups to the Jewish nation. Different approaches towards identification of these ethnic groups have, till now, existed at the level of scientific discussions and personal stances. This protest testifies to the existence of an anti-Jewish component in Krymchanks' and Karaims' consciousness.

Hanukkah was placed in the central thoroughfare of the Ukrainian capital and mayor of Kiev A.Omelchenko solemnly lit candles. The show in front of the Ukrainian House in European Square began as scheduled despite 7 degrees below zero (C).

The Ukrainian musical group "Beregynya" dressed in winter national clothes made everybody merry and happy. This gaiety unusually blended in the holiday of Hanukkah in Ukraine. Some thousand people who came to see the solemn lighting of the Third Hanukkah candle were warming up themselves through dancing under resonant Ukrainian melodies. Next after "Beregynya" came the municipal brass band, which performed together with a collective from the Kiev "Simkha" school several Jewish compositions. When the audience was substantially warmed up, mayor of Kiev Alexander Omelchenko lit Hanukkah candles.

50 years ago, that is in November 20-27, 1952, a trial over a group of outstanding party leaders was held in Prague. This trial is known in the country's history as "Slansky's trial". 14 people were accused: former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Rudolf Slansky, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vlado Klementis, Head of the Central Party Committee department for foreign affairs Bedrzhikh Geminder, Editor-in-Chief of the "Rude Pravo" newspaper Andre Simon, Deputy Defense Minister Bedrzhikh Raitsin and other top government officials and party leaders. Among all those who were convicted only three were non-Jews.