Deputies of Knesset of Israel Met with Heads of Ukrainian Churches
KYIV — Deputies of the Knesset (Parliament) of Israel met with the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, Patriarch Filaret on June 29 and the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Lubomyr on June 30. The main subject of the discussions was the cooperation of the Ukrainian and Israeli peoples in the area of international relations and counteracting extremism.
According to the press service of UGCC, the head of UGCC presented as an example of the unifying role of religion the figure of Blessed Omelyan Kovch. This year, Patriarch Lubomyr presented the Omelian Kovch award to the academic counselor of the Tkuma Center of Holocaust Studies and manager of the Joint community programs in CIS, Aaron Weiss.
The participants also discussed sharing with the state and religious institutions of Ukraine the experience of Israel in repatriating of former citizens or representatives of the native ethnic groups and their descendants. The Commission on Matters of Immigrants of the UGCC is addressing these questions and the question of migration is the main theme of the next Synod of Bishops of the UGCC. The members of Jewish delegation highly evaluated the UGCC’s conduction of Social Weeks, which help unify and bring peace to the individual members of the society, peoples, and religions.
According to the press service of the UOC-KP, Patriarch Filaret told the representatives of the Knesset about his good impressions of the last year’s trip to Jerusalem, where on October 19-20, 2009, a meeting of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations was held. He also positively evaluated the process of canceling visas between Ukraine and Israel.
“Many pilgrims from Ukraine visit shrines in Israel as well as many pilgrims from Israel come to Ukraine. This decision is especially important for them,” noted the patriarch.
The meeting was also attended by the heads of the Jewish religious communities of Ukraine.
