On December 15 - 16 the Kiev Center of Culture and Arts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine hosted the Day of Community - a traditional holiday that was particularly solemn this year. The holiday was organized by the Kiev city Jewish community with the assistance of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, the Jewish Council and Vaad of Ukraine, the Institute of Jewish Studies, the organizing committee "Klezfest", "Joint", "Sokhnut" and other Kiev organizations.

The holiday began when Saturday December 15 was over. The best community activists of the past year were solemnly honored. Among them were such famous persons as Klara Polishchuk, the woman who embodies kindness and charity. She participated in the World War II as a surgeon having saved lives of many soldiers. At present Klara Alexandrovna is an activist of the city Jewish community. She was recognized the best community organizer of the feminine Jewish movement. Among those honored was the poet Grigory Falkovich and the Head of the Oriental department of the Vernadsky library Irina Sergeeva. In line with the tradition each of the nominees lit a candle of the menorah that was placed on the stage of the festively decorated Palace of Culture and Arts of the MIA of Ukraine. Several important events in the life of the city community coincided in time with the Hanukkah week.

One of them was the departure of the "Sokhnut World Agency Representative in Ukraine and Moldova Eli Itskhaki. The community members warmly and cordially greeted Eli Itskhaki who had done much for the "Yiddishkait" development in Kiev and thanks to whose activity over 20 thousand Jews returned to their historic motherland.

The city community members congratulated those who marked their jubilees - the President of the Jewish Council of Ukraine Illya Levitas with the 70th anniversary and the Ukrainian Vaad President Joseph Zisels - with his 55th birthday.

The gathering was greeted by the vocal trio "Khaverim" from Simferopol and the Zaporozhye ensemble "A Yiddishe nigunim".

The Chief Rabbi of Kiev and Ukraine Yaakov Dov Bleich addressed the audience with the congratulations dedicated to the Days of Hanukkah. After that the festival of the Jewish cinema solemnly began its work that lasted 2 days with the support of the Institute of Jewish Studies headed by Leonid Finberg. On Saturday the spectators saw two films, one of which had been shot by the famous hit cinema producer Ishtvan Sabo - "Zonenshein". The next day the Center of Culture and Arts hosted theatrical performances, art exhibitions. The festivity went on from early morning till late night, all its events drew full houses. The morning program included animated cartoons and quizzes for the youngest, during the daytime the audience saw the premiere of the film "We need each other so much" produced by the Czech cinematographers.

The Center for the Jewish Theatrical Initiatives represented the program "Until your voice is heard..." devoted to the memory of David Sapozhnikov. This was followed by the KVN contest in which competed the collectives from the city Jewish schools. The uneasy victory went to the ORT lyceum.

The evening ended up with the performance by the rock group of singing rabbis "Metalish". The audience welcomed the rock compositions written after the Hassid tunes.