Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a historic trip to Washington, DC, yesterday, his first trip outside war-torn Ukraine since the onset of hostilities. He met with President Biden and also addressed members of both houses of Congress in his signature army green attire, this time a sweatshirt emblazoned with Ukraine’s Coat of Arms. “Your money is not charity,” he told lawmakers in a speech on the U.S. House floor. “It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.” His sentiment was echoed by Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, interviewed by Robert Siegel last month in acceptance of Moment’s Women in Power Award. Watching President Zelensky speak was also a reminder that for Jews across the world, he is a source of deep pride.
“The Resilience of Ukraine and Its Jews” is the title of a Jewish Politics & Power column by Nathan Guttman that we ran back in February, when Russia invaded Ukraine. And it’s on our list of the top ten most-read stories of 2022. Year-end lists can serve as reminders of where we’ve been and what most entertained, engaged or even enraged us. And yes, soberly, we can’t ignore that several of the stories on our list carry the word “antisemitism” in the headline, from Kanye to COVID to a synagogue in Montana (that one’s a success story–check it out!).
Other most-read stories involved food, photography, social media and the state of Holocaust education in America. In all, a snapshot of another complicated, invigorating year. As always, we appreciate you, our readers, and wish you a wonderful holiday season!
1. What You Need to Know About Kanye West’s Recent Comments About Jewish People
Antisemitic comments by Kanye West, or Ye, topped headlines for weeks, and led to the rapper’s split with his major corporate sponsors. The comments also brought forth many other antisemitic incidents from around the country.
