Chief Rabbi of Ukraine invites Zelensky to prayer at Kyiv synagogue

Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: risu

On June 16, 2025, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Asman, in an interview with Glavcom invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to a prayer at the central Kyiv synagogue.

The Rabbi reported that a personalized chair in the front row has been prepared for the President, but Zelensky has not yet visited the synagogue, although he was in the Kherson synagogue before the war.

"We expected him (Zelensky) for the Passover holiday, but he did not come… We made him a chair in the front row, but well… It means he couldn't, it didn't work out for him. I know he was in the Kherson synagogue, but before the war. We are always waiting for him here… I would like him to come so that we could pray together… I would call him to read the Torah," said Moshe Asman.

Rabbi Asman also noted the President's faith, which is important despite his reluctance to disclose details of his religious worldview.

He recalled how Zelensky in 2019, before important international meetings, met with leaders of denominations and received spiritual advice. According to the Rabbi, faith helped the President in difficult situations, comparing it to the biblical story of David and Goliath.

At the same time, Moshe Asman noted that former President Viktor Yushchenko regularly visited the synagogue on holidays, including during times of political crises. According to the Rabbi, Viktor Yushchenko regularly attended the synagogue for every Hanukkah holiday: «Including during the Orange Revolution. He came here every year, and it became a tradition...».

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Ukrainian authorities are creating a new agency to combat anti-Semitism.

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