THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF BILA TSERKVA: HISTORY AND MODERNITY (LOCAL STUDIES)
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko national University of Kyiv, Khachaturov Artemii , Kochetkova Iryna ,   Taras Shevchenko national University of Kyiv
Published: February 2022

Purpose of the study. The purpose of the work is a comprehensive study of the local history of the main trends in the historical development and the current state of the Jewish community in the city of Bila Tserkva. Research methodology. It is based on a combination of historical and geographical approaches using the methods of local history analysis and synthesis of secondary information. Research results. The Jewish people, who lived on the territory of modern Ukraine, for a long time were subjected to oppression and persecution. Since the era of Bohdan Khmelnitsky and until the fall of the Soviet Union, various restrictions and prohibitions were imposed on the ethnos under study. Despite this, the territory of the Ukrainian state became home to many Jewish generations: shtetls were created everywhere, dynasties of Hasidic tzaddiks were formed, and the like. One of the places that has undergone a significant influence of the activities of the Jewish community is the city of Bila Tserkva. This work reflects the main milestones in the formation and development of the Jewish community in the Bila Tserkva, identifies the main factors that influenced the system of settlement of the people in the city. On the basis of literary sources, including the works of O. Starodub, S. Burlaka, E. Chernetsky, the connections of the studied people with the toponymy of the city, which over the centuries took root in its system, were analyzed. In addition, the influence of the Jewish ethnos on the formation of a modern architectural ensemble was revealed, in particular the buildings of the Market Square, the choral synagogue, the city hospital, etc. This work also reveals the special role of the cemetery as an ethnocultural attribute of the town. The study also highlights current trends in the development of the Jewish community in the city: an analysis of its activities, its main social programs and relationships is carried out. Scientific novelty. During the times of the Soviet Union, full-fledged studies of the characteristics of the life of the Jewish people on the territory of Ukraine were almost not carried out, especially little attention was paid to the local history analysis of local settlements. Since independence, the number of such works has increased significantly, however, there are still significant blank spots. In this work, for the first time, a comprehensive study of the Jewish community of the Bila Tserkva is carried out. Disclosed, previously unknown aspects of local history, and the peculiarities of the life of the ethnic group in the conditions of modern Ukraine. Practical significance. The results of this work can be used for further regional studies of the Bila Tserkva region and Porosya, and as important materials for studying the characteristics of the life of the Jewish population in Ukraine. In addition, the publication can draw attention to the current state of Jewish communities, the degree of preservation of objects of the spiritual and material heritage of the people.