Feature Story: ORT School in Kiev Combines the Best of Ukrainian, Israeli and English Speaking Worlds

KIEV, UKRAINE, April 1, 3 p.m. – The walls are talking at the Kiev ORT Technology Lyceum – and they’re trilingual. 

There’s the list of scholastic achievements of students on the bulletin board near the main lobby, made possible through curriculum provided by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education.  Nearby are the photos of students celebrating Jewish holidays and customs, courtesy of Hebrew and cultural programs from the Israeli Ministry of Education.  And then there’s that shiny certificate in English from Microsoft, a result of World ORT’s efforts to put the school on the cutting edge of technology education. 

The ORT Kiev Technology Lyceum, which has 258 students, grades 5 through 12, has become the only school in Ukraine to be chosen by Microsoft to join its small, exclusive international group of innovative Pathfinder Schools. 

It was one of 56 schools selected recently from 114 applicants in 48 countries to join the Microsoft Partners in Learning Innovative Schools Program, a ten-year, $500 million commitment by the company to help schools and teachers use technology to advance teaching and learning more effectively, according to an announcement on the World ORT web site. 

“The fact that this Lyceum is the only school in Ukraine chosen for this role is further recognition of ORT’s leading position in education in that country,” Shelley B. Fagel, National President of ORT America, stated in the press release.  

She said American donors are committed to implementing innovative technologies and modern educational practices at ORT schools throughout the CIS and Baltic States.  “This is yet another prime example of how our donors’ dollars are helping to foster excellence, no matter how great the challenges.” 

Despite ongoing funding challenges – which have resulted in teachers being poorly paid, the end to free hot lunches and school bus service – the ORT Kiev Technology Lyceum has consistently managed to raise its educational standards, increase student enrollment and retain skilled staff despite the lure of higher pay at the city’s other private schools, the announcement noted. 

Microsoft’s acceptance letter states:  “The ORT Kiev Technology Lyceum has demonstrated strong school leadership with a proven record of innovation and successful change implementation, and a vision for learning that has already started the school on the road to reform and improvement.” 

ORT Programs at Jewish schools in Ukraine are carried out as the joint projects with the Israeli Government, the Jewish Agency and the local education authorities. The relationship between ORT and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education has resulted in the adoption of ORT teaching strategies at several state schools, especially in the area of technological subjects. 

Tenth-graders Denis, Sasha, Melissa and Alina are shining examples of the successful trifecta of general education, Jewish learning and technology.  Alina, in fact, is fluent in English, Ukrainian and Hebrew.  Sasha and Melissa are already leaning toward technology for their careers while Denis wants to be a translator ­- he recently won the first stage of the local Computer Olympics. 

All are aware of their Jewish roots and the holidays and customs that define them as Jews.   In Sasha’s case, “I tell my parents about these traditions.” 

Many of the school’s students will eventually travel to Israel on programs like Limud, MASA and NALA.  Some will go to Israel for good.  But wherever these “pathfinders” land, they will have a well-rounded education – along with a few languages – to help them be successful wherever they are.

Journal Entry: “There, but for the grace of G-d, go I” – “Warm Home” Visit Turns Into Family Gathering

KIEV, UKRAINE, April 1, 1 p.m. – Our first stop in Kiev was lunch with Amir Ben-Zvi, JDC’s chief representative in Kiev.  I met Amir in October 2008 during a mission to Tblisi, Georgia to survey the conditions of the Jewish community just six weeks after the war with Russia.  Amir had been an integral part of the rescue effort in Georgia, risking his life to infiltrate areas the Russians had invaded to make sure every Jew was located and brought out of harm’s way. 

When it comes to helping others, Amir is not one to stay on the sidelines.  And that’s exactly the direction he gave us for our three-day visit to Kiev. “Don’t sit and take notes and snap pictures,” he stressed.  ”You have to become part of the community and experience what their lives are all about.” 

And that’s just what I did on our first site visit to a JDC “warm home” in Kiev.  Here, Garold, well into his 80s, hosted eight of his elderly friends, brought together by the local Hesed center, one of 35 welfare centers in the Ukraine, covering 1,500 cities and towns.  The local center serves 1,200 seniors.  

The program was developed by JDC in the former Soviet Union to aid and help alleviate the loneliness plaguing so many Jewish elderly. Throughout the region, small groups of elderly Hesed clients are regularly hosted by those who have volunteered their homes, with participants benefiting from nutritious meals as well as much-needed social contact. 

Special activities for the Jewish holidays and other programs with Jewish content reinforce the clients’ sense of belonging to a caring Jewish community. The program has been adopted by ESHEL in Israel, where it is of special help to non-Hebrew speaking immigrants; it has also been implemented in Jewish communities in Romania and the Baltic countries. 

Garold and his friends are all in their 70s and 80s.  Their children and grandchildren are all grown up – many have moved to Israel.  And here I was, melding into this “warm home” and feeling comfortable within minutes. 

Visiting the elders in Kiev was particularly meaningful for me. After all, my ancestors came to America from the Pale of the Settlement.  It reminded me of the phrase, “There, but for the grace of G-d, go I” and how, with a different twist of history, any one of these elders could have very well been my grandfather, grandmother, uncle or aunt.  

Amir’s instructions began to take on a whole new meaning. Whether we are related or not – and despite being separated by oceans, age or language – we all felt like family, connected in some cosmic way through our Jewish identity and culture.  Certainly by the volume of food, which the local Hesed worker kept bringing and bringing – hot tea, fruit, candy, cookies and cakes.  

After we all introduced ourselves, Garold recited some of his very own poetry, then grabbed his guitar and began singing with everyone joining in for “Aveinu Sholom Aleichem.”  After more singing, Felix, a local historian, filled us in on the strong Jewish heritage in the Ukraine that dates back to the 8th century. 

The group talked at length about the freedom they gained in 1991 after decades of political and religious repression under Communist rule. For them, the true feeling of freedom has been fleeting, to say the least.  They like to be discreet about their “warm home” get-togethers so as to not draw the attention of their non-Jewish neighbors.  Felix talked about not having enough cab fare one time and the cab driver making a comment about Jews being cheap. 

Nevertheless, the freedom that they do have is far better than the oppression they felt for nearly three-quarters of their lives.   Most, importantly, it gives them the opportunity to spend time with each other. 

As one put it, “It’s like being with my relatives.  We’re like a family.” 

For a little over 45 minutes, I was a part of that family – and will continue to be long after this trip.