Month: September 17, 2021 8:05 am

Once upon a time there was a Yiddish language newspaper in New York called Forverts (in English, The Forward). Founded in 1897 by the Jewish Socialist Press Federation, the newspaper was devoted to Jewish trade unionism and democratic socialism.

Like the Ukrainian gazette Svoboda in its early years, Forverts also offered English lessons to its readers, as well as civic advice regarding life in America. Under the leadership of Abraham Cahan, editor from 1903 to 1951, Forverts attained a readership of some 200,000 by World War I.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The Ukrainian community of Binghamton, N.Y., celebrated the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s renewed independence on August 24 with a flag-raising ceremony at Binghamton City Hall.

Since the 1950s, the local branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) in Binghamton N.Y., has organized an annual celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day at the City Hall in Binghamton, N.Y., that includes a flag-raising program.

SAN DIEGO – An atypically overcast Sunday morning did not dampen the spirits of over 100 members and guests of St. John the Baptizer Ukrainian Catholic Church in San Diego, who came to welcome Bishop Benedict Aleksiychuk of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Chicago during his visit here on August 22.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – The Ukrainian Democratic Youth Organization (ODUM) celebrated its 70th anniversary over the Labor Day weekend at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.  One of the weekend highlights included a scramble golf tournament held at Crane’s Landing Golf Club in Lincolnshire, Ill. The weather cooperated, allowing members of ODUM and friends to enjoy good times, fellowship and a great day of golf.

Olympic bronze medalist Elina Svitolina continued her U.S. Open build up by reaching and winning her first final of 2021 at the hardcourt Chicago Women’s Open on August 28. The No. 1 seed’s decision to accept a last-minute wild card paid off with her successful run to her 19th career final and 16th career singles title. She had not reached a final since her title run in Strasbourg last September. Since earning her bronze at the Tokyo Games, Svitolina lost her opening matches in both Montreal and Cincinnati.

Her positive momentum was ignited in Tokyo when Elina Svitolina (ranked fourth by the WTA as of September 13 with 4,860 points) won the bronze medal in women’s tennis at the 2020 Olympics. A late decision to accept a wild-card entrance to the Chicago Open as a tune-up to the U.S. Open (held on August 30-September 12 in Flushing, N.Y.) proved most fortuitous as she won that tournament.

Dayana Yastremska had not won a tennis match since playing Simona Halep of Romania in two tight sets in Rome last fall. An exonerated Yastremska made a triumphant return to action at the inaugural Hamburg European Open on July 8 after she defeated Magdalena Frech of Poland 7-6(5), 6-1 in her first match since she was cleared of an anti-doping rule violation charge in June of this year.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Dayana Yastremska and Max Purcell of Australia lost in the mixed doubles semifinal on September 8 against Giuliana Olmos of Mexico and Marcelo Arevalo of Argentina 6-4, 4-6, 6-10 at the U.S. Open. In the quarterfinal, Yastremska and Purcell defeated Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan and Fabrice Martin of France 6-2, 6-3.

KYIV – A group of five U.S. lawmakers led by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) paid an unexpected visit to Ukraine on the same day that the Russian operator of a controversial natural-gas pipeline announced that it had completed the final stages of welding it together.

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-level officials to reinforce their bicameral legislature’s bipartisan support for the country’s national security.

LVIV – During his trip to the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., on September 2 where he met with the company’s chief executive officer, Tim Cook, according to the office of the Ukrainian president.

Additionally, during the trip to the U.S., Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transfor­mation Mykhailo Fedorov met with Google’s vice president to discuss YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, as well as programs aimed to encourage Ukrainian content creators on YouTube, Mr. Zelenskyy’s office reported.

LVIV – During an official visit to the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a group of students, academics and entrepreneurs at Stanford University on September 2. Mr. Zelenskyy spoke on the topics of digitalization, dual citizenship, Belarus and the dynamic growth of the IT sector in Ukraine, according to the office of the Ukrainian president.

Mr. Zelenskyy was welcomed to the university by Francis Fukuyama, the director of the Center on Democracy, Deve­lopment and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, and Michael McFaul, director of the school’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelens­kyy’s visit to the United States (August 31-September 2) succeeded, at least, in halting the degradation of the bilateral relationship, under way since 2019, particularly after the advent of the Joseph Biden administration. The White House’s temptation of a neo-reset with Russia has translated into neglect of Ukraine and decisions detrimental to it (see below).

Mr. Zelenskyy’s Washington visit has nevertheless prompted both governments to refocus on their long-declared but under-fulfilled strategic partnership. Major statements of intent at the inter-governmental and private-sector levels during this visit, coupled with bipartisan Congres­sional support, have given the strategic partnership the chance of a fresh start.