Yuschenko greeted in D.C. by American and Ukrainian Jewish organizations (05/21/00)

Yuschenko greeted in D.C. by American and Ukrainian Jewish organizations

by Natalie Mason Gawdiak

WASHINGTON - In addition to meeting with President Bill Clinton and other high-level administration officials, as well as members of Congress and officials of the International Monetary Fund during his working trip to the United States, Prime Minister Victor Yuschenko of Ukraine was warmly received at a reception held on May 9 in his honor by the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the NCSJ: Advocates for Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Eurasia.

Representatives of such Jewish organizations as the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Agudath Israel of America, ARZA/World Union and American Friends of Lubavitch were also present.

Rabbi Yaakov Bleich, chief rabbi of Ukraine, opened the event, and several members of Congress came to offer Mr. Yuschenko their congratulations on the advancement of Jewish life in Ukraine and the good state of relations between the Ukrainian government and the Jewish community.

Among those offering their praise were Reps. Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House International Relations Committee; Chairman Christopher Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the Helsinki Commission; Sander Levin (D-Mich); and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. Orest Deychakiwsky, a professional staff member of the Helsinki Commission and president of The Washington Group, also was present.

The congressmen stressed the importance of supporting reform in Ukraine. Rep. Smith also emphasized that the G-7 nations should fulfill their pledge to assist Ukraine in closing the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and announced the passage of his "Trafficking Victims Protection Act" resolution which had passed the House of Representatives earlier the same day.

In introducing Prime Minister Yuschenko, NCSJ Vice-President Harold Paul Luks recalled: "Twenty years ago, this event would have been unimaginable. Ten years ago it would still have been impossible - the prime minister of a free Ukraine, hosted by American Jewish and Ukrainian Jewish organizations on Capitol Hill." Mr. Luks expressed hope that the prime minister's background and outlook would help Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Jewry to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Prime Minister Yuschenko commented that the government of Ukraine was gratified at the presence of those in attendance and for the presence in Ukraine of the Jewish population. He guaranteed the support of the government of Ukraine for its Jewish citizens and thanked them again for their support of Ukraine.

Mr. Yuschenko's wife, Katya née Chumachenko, an American-born economist of Ukrainian descent, accompanied him.

The highlight of the evening at the Rayburn House Office Building came at its conclusion, when the prime minister of Ukraine was presented with a beautiful silver chalice adorned with sculpted clusters of grapes by Rabbi Israel Pilchick, who on behalf of the Jewish organizations assembled, said in his moving presentation: "You have wiped away the tears of history."

Also among the guests were Steven Pifer, U.S. ambassador to Ukraine; and Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, with his wife and Embassy of Ukraine staff. Also present were two national deputies of the Verkhovna Rada, Ihor Ostash, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; and Vitalii Tsekhmistrenko of the Banking and Finance Committee.

Ukrainian Americans attending included the heads of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, the Ukrainian National Information Service and the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, and staffers from the Law Library of Congress and the Voice of America.

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