INSIDE: « Media independence alien to Ukraine? — page 2. • Kyiv feels reverberations of U.S. government shutdown — page • Retrospective exhibit honors Jacques Hnizdovsky — page 10. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXill No. 47 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1995 $1.25/$2 in Ukraine Intelligentsia notes Two Orthodox Churches in Ukraine discuss unification by Marta Kolomayets Council on Religion of Ukraine's ments; he even spoke Ukrainian in continuing threat Kyiv Press Bureau Cabinet of Ministers, on October 2, 1990. Moscow," said Bishop Mefodiy. It does not recognize the June 25-26, "We're not talking about a unification, KYIV - Hierarchs of the Ukrainian 1992, sobor that unified Patriarch more accurately we are talking about the Autocephalous Orthodox Church, under to Ukrainian culture Mstyslav's Church with Filaret's resurrection of one Particular Ukrainian the leadership of Patriarch Dymytriy of Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Orthodox Church, here in Kyiv. We by Marta KoSomayets Kyiv and all-Ukraine, have approached "Naturally, I don't expect our first should rid ourselves of these kinds of Kyiv Press Bureau Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of steps to be easy, but I always remember ambitions (who is joining whom). the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - KYIV - Two months in planning, the the words of the late Patriarch Mstyslav, "We are resurrecting the traditional Moscow Patriarchate to discuss the unifi­ Congress of the Ukrainian Intelligentsia who told us that we must look each other cation of the two Churches. Orthodox Church of our Ukrainian people, assembled over 2,000 delegates and in the eye every so often," Metropolitan Metropolitan Andriy of Halychyna, and when that happens I hope at that sobor guests on November 11, who spent an Andriy explained. archbishop of Ivano-Frankivske, who we will pick a candidate worthy of being afternoon discussing a number of prob­ together with three other hierarchs broke "And that is exactly what we did the patriarch. I believe that day will come, lems that have plagued Ukrainians for away from the Ukrainian Orthodox today," he continued, describing his and it should come, and the bells of St. centuries: the status of the Ukrainian lan­ Church - Kyiv Patriarchate after the elec­ meeting with Metropolitan Volodymyr. Sophia will ring out telling the world the guage, the state of Ukrainian culture, as tion of Filaret to the post of patriarch on "Two branches of Orthodoxy looked great news," said Bishop Mefodiy. well as the continued controlling effect October 20 and joined the UAOC, said each other in the eye, and I saw a real Metropolitan Andriy told reporters of both the Russian language and culture. the first contact with Metropolitan and sincere desire on the part of that during a recent meeting with In an attempt to consolidate all of Volodymyr had been made at the Metropolitan Volodymyr to come to an Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople Ukraine's national-democratic forces, Pecherska Lavra that very afternoon. understanding, to unite into one in Patmos, Greece, the issue of canonical which have over the past few years of "The first step has been made. Today, Particular [Pomisna] Ukrainian Orthodox recognition of the Ukrainian Orthodox independence splintered off into many [November 14] we formed a committee Church," he said. Church was broached. parties, groups and organizations, con­ for this dialogue between our two If indeed the two Churches establish a '•.'We need to help Ukraine,' was the gress organizers appealed to the Churches, and Metropolitan Volodymyr dialogue, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church answer we received," said Bishop Mefodiy. Ukrainian intelligentsia to attend this told us that his Church will also form the - Moscow Patriarchate will have to break "The process of autocephaly - indepen­ forum and to form a united front in sup­ same kind of committee during its sobor, away from Patriarch Alexei of Moscow. dence, is a difficult and long process, and porting the Ukrainian language and cul­ which will take place on November 22," Although the hierarchs of the UAOC that is something that we have to fight for ture, and a strong Ukrainian state. reported Metropolitan Andriy after the did not comment on this possibility, they ourselves," explained Metropolitan Andriy. "More than 90 percent of our citizens conclusion of a one-day extended arch­ spoke highly of Metropolitan "It won't happen overnight," he added. voted for an independent Ukraine in 1991. bishops' sobor that day. Volodymyr, their "spiritual father" dur­ During the 30-minute press conference Where are they now?" asked Kostiantyn The UAOC is guided by the will and ing their days in the Moscow seminary, held at the Church of St. Nicholas Morozov, a congress organizer, during a testaments of Patriarch Mstyslav and where he taught. Naberezhny (of the Shores), which is news conference on November 10. Patriarch Volodymyr (Romaniuk) and "We can't say anything against him. "Over the last few years they've drift­ guided by the statutes registered with the He always displayed pro-Ukrainian senti­ (Continued on page 16) ed away, and we are attempting to get them back," he noted, adding that prob­ lems must be discussed openly. But, much of the work at the congress Jewish sisterhood honors Ukrainian rescuer amounted to preaching to the converted. by Stephanie Charczenko of special significance, the celebration a strong moral sense - truly a sense of Throughout the day hundreds of the del­ of the 50th anniversary of the United justice and righteousness...in the spirit egates - familiar faces at Rukh, Prosvita NEW YORK - The Park Avenue Nations, Ms. Geringer mentioned that of such great deeds as his we, too, Ukrainian Language Society, Congress Synagogue's Women's Evening Group the synagogue also had some special should think of mitzvahs that we could of Ukrainian Nationalists and Ukrainian and Sisterhood, as participants of the events planned - specifically, "Mitzvah Republican Party conferences - spoke of "Honor a Rescuer" program sponsored do for ourselves..." Sunday," in which the congregants problems in their regions, including the by the Jewish Foundation for Christian were urged to perform a "mitzvah," or Survivors present lack of Ukrainian schools and the Rescuers/ADL, paid homage to Roman an act of justice, or righteousness. absence of Uxrainian-language texts in Biletskij with a reception at the Park Ms. Charet introduced some of the "Roman Biletskij," Ms. Geringer bookstores. Former government officials Avenue Synagogue on October 23. Mr. stated, "is an example of a person with (Continued on page 14) such as Ivan Dzyuba, once minister of Biletskij was cited for his heroic efforts culture, and Mykola Zhulynsky, who in rescuing 24 Jews from certain death used to hold the humanitarian affairs in Ukraine during World War II. portfolio, spoke of the all too familiar Speakers included Eleanor Geringer, problems of getting the government to co-president of the Women's Evening focus on issues of language and culture. Group; Linda Charet, board member of Independent Ukraine's first president, the Women's Evening Group; and Leonid Kravc'nuk, told congress partici­ Harvey Schulweis, chairman of the pants that "culture and education should Jewish Foundation for Christian be the top priorities in the state." Rescuers/ADL. Members of the audience However, few concrete solutions to included five of the survivors that Mr. the many problems encountered through­ Biletskij rescued and over 200 members out Ukraine were heard during the day. of the Park Avenue Synagogue's congre­ "In the fifth year of independence, at a gation, as well as this writer, vice-presi­ time when Ukraine has been accepted as dent of the representative of the Society a member of the Council of Europe, of Ukrainian Jewish Relations. events that threaten the existence of the Ms. Geringer welcomed the audi­ Ukrainian nation-state, its language, cul­ ence on behalf of the organizers, the ture and spirituality are taking place," Women's Evening Group, as well as proclaimed the first paragraph of the the co-sponsors, the Committee for the Manifesto of the Ukrainian Intelligentsia, Homeless and Community Outreach, Roman Biletskij with Sabina Grau Schnitzer, one of the 24 Jews he and his family issued on the eve of the congress. Sisterhood and Men's Club of the Park Avenue Synagogue. As this was a week sheltered from the Nazis. (Continued on page 3) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1995 No. 47 ANALYSIS: Media independence NEWSBBIEFS alien to Ukraine's political culture Ex-politicals call for trial of Red crimes working in Ukraine. Residents of cities by Chrystyna Lapychak profit ventures is low. The government and towns are to be registered by January keeps track of independent media by KYIV — Hundreds of former political PARTI 1996, while registration in rural areas is requiring them to officially register. prisoners and dissidents from 19 countries to begin in the spring. (OMRI Daily The mass media in Ukraine are still The media continue to be at the mercy gathered here on November 7-8, calling Digest) plagued by the same obstacles they have of the state monopoly on newsprint, for a symbolic "Nuremberg-like" trial over stumbled over since the country won its printing and distributions, and the gov­ crimes committed by former Communist Privatization moves forward,., slowly independence in 1991. Financially, the ernment controls the allocation of trans­ regimes, Ukrainian Television reported on KYIV — The pace of privatization of news business in Ukraine remains a risky mission frequencies and broadcast licens­ November 8. The organizers, the state-owned enterprises is up by 25 per­ enterprise because of the lingering post- es. When the government announced International Congress of Political cent over the same period last year, Soviet economic crisis. Most publica­ plans to privatize 11 printing enterprises Prisoners of Communist Regimes, believe this year, it did not mention the 58 relat­ such a trial would serve as a moral cleans­ Ukrainian Radio reported on November tions, including many so-called indepen­ 6.