Project Kesher

06/05/2026

On May 26, Project Kesher Israel, in partnership with the Tel Aviv Municipality, welcomed more than 100 participants to a special Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ community event marking the beginning of Pride Month 2026. Inspired by the tradition of Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the evening explored themes of belonging, choice, identity, and social justice through a uniquely q***r Jewish lens. Participants included LGBTQ+ immigrants and refugees from Russia, Ukraine, and other countries, as well as family members, allies, and community professionals.

The program featured a panel discussion on equal civil rights with Rabbi Olya Weinstein, attorney Pavel Bitzer Phillipov, and Anna Talisman, Head of Project Kesher Israel’s LGBTQ+ Program, alongside smaller discussion circles led by community leaders, activists, and educators. Participants also enjoyed a photography exhibition on transformation and identity, live music, and a pre-premiere performance by Kesher Petah Tikva—the first Russian-speaking q***r theater group in Israel.

Made fully accessible through partner support, the event created a welcoming space for visibility, connection, and meaningful dialogue. As Pride season begins, gatherings like this affirm Project Kesher Israel’s commitment to building a vibrant, inclusive community where Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ immigrants and refugees can find belonging, support, and the freedom to be fully themselves.

05/28/2026

In May 2026, PKU partnered with Podorozhnyk, Ukraine’s largest pharmacy chain, to launch a nationwide melanoma awareness and prevention campaign focused on early detection and access to care. As part of the initiative, free dermatological screenings were offered in 11 cities across the country.

From May 16–24, qualified dermatologists provided consultations inside Podorozhnyk pharmacy locations in cities including Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, and Uzhhorod, with the campaign expected to reach at least 300 women. The initiative aims to raise awareness about one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer and the lifesaving importance of early detection and regular screenings.

“Strengthening women’s health through education and access to preventative care is a key part of our mission,” said PKU & WOF-UA CEO Vlada Nedak. “We believe collaboration between civil society and business can have a real positive impact on people’s lives and communities.”

05/27/2026

Ahead of Shavuot, PKI CEO Rabbi Olya Weinstein spoke with Vesti about proposed changes to Israel’s Law of Return, including efforts that could revoke recognition of non-Orthodox conversions. If adopted, these changes would have profound consequences for hundreds of thousands of converts—many of them Russian-speaking immigrants—as well as for liberal Judaism, civil society, and the democratic future of Israel.

In the interview, Rabbi Olya addressed the growing polarization within Israeli society, the rise of religious fundamentalism, and the critical importance of maintaining equal recognition for non-Orthodox conversions within Israeli public life. Her remarks came just before Shavuot, the holiday on which Jews traditionally read the story of Ruth, a powerful narrative of choice, belonging, and joining the Jewish people.

The conversation underscored the importance of protecting a vision of Israel rooted in pluralism, inclusion, and dignity for all members of the Jewish community. Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXgtJldPXr

Кто сказал, что иудаизм должен существовать только в одной форме, принятой сегодня в Израиле? Во всем мире множество евреев принадлежат к другим течениям иуд...

04/21/2026

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor those murdered by the N**i regime while confronting the urgent relevance of this history today. For many in Project Kesher Israel’s community—some with family histories shaped by the Holocaust, others who have faced persecution for their sexual orientation or gender identity—this is a time to reflect on memory, vulnerability, belonging, and responsibility. “Never Again” is not a given; it is a call to remain vigilant and to protect the humanity of our society.

In this spirit, PKI partnered with q***r activist and educator Pavel Khavkin to lead in-person sessions across LGBTQ+ groups in cities including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Be’er Sheva. At a time of heightened anxiety, gathering together has been especially meaningful.

Pavel’s lectures explore a history often left untold: the persecution of LGBTQ+ people before, during, and after World War II—from the vibrant q***r culture of early 20th-century Berlin to its destruction under the N**i regime, and the legacy of laws like Paragraph 175. By reclaiming these stories, participants engage not only in remembrance, but in a deeper understanding of resilience, identity, and collective responsibility.

04/17/2026

This spring, with support from the Karma Foundation, the Women’s Opportunity Fund of Ukraine delivered 12 electric bicycles to medical staff at the Losynivka Primary Health Care Center in the Chernihiv region—helping expand access to care for residents in surrounding rural communities. Serving villages located up to 20 kilometers away, healthcare workers often travel long distances to reach patients, including those with limited mobility.

The new e-bikes will significantly improve efficiency and reduce physical strain, enabling medical staff to reach more patients each day—often doubling the number of home visits they can complete. Alongside the bicycles, staff also received protective raincoats and reusable water bottles to support their daily work in all conditions.

This initiative is part of a broader effort: in 2025 alone, WOF-UA provided 140 e-bikes to frontline and border-region medical facilities across Ukraine. By increasing mobility and reducing travel time, these investments are strengthening healthcare delivery and supporting the resilience of both providers and the communities they serve.

04/16/2026

This Passover, Seders were held in seven Ukrainian cities—Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Poltava, and Chernivtsi—organized by participants of Project Kesher Ukraine’s Jewish leadership course. Using the organization’s Haggadah For Our Freedom, these gatherings created meaningful opportunities to engage with Jewish tradition, reflect on freedom and identity, and strengthen community bonds. Two Women’s Seders highlighted the vital role of women in the story of the Exodus.

For many, this was their first experience of a Seder. Participants described a sense of discovery, connection, and belonging—finding not only new meaning in Jewish tradition, but also a welcoming space to ask questions, share openly, and feel part of something larger.

Through these celebrations, PKU continues to deepen Jewish engagement, empower women’s leadership, and build resilient, connected Jewish communities across Ukraine.

04/14/2026

Today, as Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day, PKI participants are gathering in person once again. In the first days following a tenuous ceasefire, they reunite to remember, reflect, and support one another.

For many in our community, the themes of the Shoah—memory, vulnerability, and survival—are deeply personal, shaped by family histories. At the same time, as LGBTQ+ immigrants from Russia, many of PKI’s participants also feel a painful connection between that past and the present-day persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals by the authorities at home.

These gatherings hold profound meaning beyond commemoration. They create vital space for participants to share their memories, trauma, identity, and fears, finding strength in community. In Haifa, members of our LGBTQ+ group took part in a “Zikaron BaSalon” gathering, where they heard from Nahum Leiderman, who shared his family’s Holocaust history (which he himself only learned after immigrating from then USSR to Israel in the 1970s). For many, this was their first experience in such an intimate format, leaving a deep and lasting impact.

Additional remembrance gatherings are taking place in Be’er Sheva, Bat Yam, and Ramat Gan. At this moment shaped by war, migration, and ongoing uncertainty, these connections help restore a sense of belonging, resilience, and human dignity, ensuring that memory is not only preserved, but carried forward together.

04/10/2026

On March 22, women in Kryvyi Rih gathered for an emotional support meeting through the “Me for Myself” project, focusing on building resilience in the face of ongoing stress and uncertainty.

Led by psychologist Yuliia Dyba, the session explored how stress and anxiety affect the body and mind, and offered practical tools to help restore balance and a sense of control. The gathering concluded with a body-based practice led by trainer Olexandra Burtseva, using gentle movement and meditation to release tension and ground participants in the present moment.

Bringing women together around care, self-awareness, and connection, the meeting created space to restore inner resources and strengthen resilience—both individually and as a community.

04/09/2026

On March 29, Project Kesher Ukraine hosted a forum for young mothers in Dnipro, titled “Sources of Women’s Strength.” The event brought together mothers of young children, pregnant women, and others seeking connection, support, and emotional renewal.

Designed as a welcoming, judgment-free space, the forum offered both practical tools and meaningful moments of care—for mothers as well as their children. Participants joined workshops on self-care, recovery, and emotional resilience, alongside open conversations on topics like sexuality and well-being, and creative expression sessions including floral design and hands-on art.

The day also offered space for community building, with a supportive circle, small gifts, and a dedicated BabyZone with professional childcare—ensuring mothers could fully participate, connect, and recharge.

04/08/2026

This Passover, the answer to Ma Nishtana was heartbreaking: this night, we spend in bomb shelters. Sirens sounded throughout the Seder and continued through the holiday, as families marked the festival of freedom under fire.

Exhausted—physically and emotionally—from repeated runs to shelter, PKI’s community members still came together through Zoom sessions, support calls, and constant connection via WhatsApp and Telegram. The daily rhythm has become one of continuous check-ins—reaching out after each siren and waiting, often anxiously, for confirmation that everyone is safe. Too often, missile fragments are landing nearby, damaging homes, and exacerbating the emotional strain. In recent days, explosions have struck near the homes of our coordinators and participants, and in Haifa, a deadly attack hit the very neighborhood where members of our community live. Some participants have begun speaking about preparing ethical wills—naming who would contact loved ones if something happens to them.

And still, PKI continues. Even though they cannot gather in person, they come together each evening virtually—learning, sharing, and holding one another through fear and uncertainty. In the midst of profound hardship, this commitment to connection is where we can find our resilience.