OP head joins Passover celebration with Kyiv Jewish community
Budanov with Rabbi Markovych. Photo: JCC BEIT Menachem
On April 7, 2026, Kyiv’s Jewish community, JCC BEIT Menachem, celebrated Passover. Joining the festivities were Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, his deputy Iryna Mudra, and Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi.
The Jewish community described the senior officials as “honored guests.” The statement said that Passover serves as a reminder that “freedom always triumphs.”
The overwhelming majority of comments under the community’s Facebook post were sharply negative.
“This is not a Ukrainian holiday. There is no need to impose it on us – let the Jews celebrate it,” wrote Nataliia Babenko.
“I wonder, do they celebrate Ukrainian holidays in Israel? Of course not! So why are they imposing something foreign on us? I do not accept it!” Nadyn Sloboda said.
“Ukraine was and will remain Ukrainian. Do not impose Jewish holidays on us. We are Ukrainians, not Jews,” wrote Liubov Viktorovna.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that, in honor of Passover, Zelensky received rabbis from across Ukraine at the Presidential Office.
Read also
Security of Hasidic pilgrims in Uman under the personal control of the president
An interdepartmental meeting on security during the stay of Hasidic pilgrims was held in Uman.
Pope allows synods of Uniate Churches to remove primates
Leo XIV retained the right to approve decisions of synods of Eastern Catholic Churches.
A hierarch of the UOC consecrated a new bell tower in the village of Bukovo in Zakarpattia
The rite of consecration after the Liturgy was performed by the vicar bishop of the Khust Diocese, Mark.
Stuttgart bishop explains why Sviatohirsk murder is being silenced
Bishop Job believes the silence of Ukrainian and German media over the murder of Monk Varsonofiy is a consequence of the information war against the “wrong” Church.
Persecuted UOC community in Tovtry celebrates patronal feast
The Bishop of Ivano-Frankivsk celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the patronal feast in Tovtry.
Stuttgart bishop: Killing at Sviatohirsk shocked entire Orthodox world
The hierarch of the ROCOR German Diocese said the brutal killing of a Sviatohirsk Lavra monk had reverberated painfully throughout the Orthodox world.