Хасидські громади діаспори як актори впливу на етнополітичні процеси в сучасній Україні

Abstract

The article examines the influence of the mass pilgrimage of representatives of the foreign Hasidic communities on the dynamics of the development of Ukrainian-Jewish relations in particular, and, on the ethnopolitical processes of modern Ukraine in general. The relevance of the research determined, firstly, by insufficient study of the specified phenomenon in domestic science; secondly, the fact that the number of pilgrims who visit our country every year significantly exceeds the number of parishioners of local Jewish communities. The specificity of the Hasidic creed requires that believers have to regularly visit the burial places of their leaders. Therefore, since the mentioned religious movement originated in Ukraine, the connection with it of many foreign Jewish religious communities is maintained at a high level, regardless of the circumstances. Neither the pandemic nor the war significantly reduced the number of visitors to the places of burial of the teachers of Hasidism. The facts provided by the author reveal two contradictory trends in the reaction of local residents to the arrival of numerous followers of the Jewish religious-mystical movement: 1. The spread of hostile attitudes and actions directed against foreigners; 2. Growing interest in the development of pilgrimage and increasing of the tolerance. The first trend is caused by significant differences in worldview, culture, and everyday habits. It is also a result of corruption problems, since the municipal authorities enter only a small part of the funds obtained from the pilgrims into the local budgets. The second trend is determined by the interest of local residents in earning money related to the service of pilgrims and tolerance, which is spreading more and more in society. The conclusions note that the development of friendly relations between the local population and Hasidic pilgrims contributes to the positive dynamics of the image of Ukrainian society not only in the Jewish environment, but also in numerous communities of the modern Western world that are not directly involved in Judaism. This, in turn, will help Ukrainian post-war reconstruction. For solving problems related to pilgrimage the author recommends a number of educational activities for the local population, regional officials and the pilgrims themselves.