Israel News

An ancient Egyptian artifact has once again become the focus of researchers and sparked debates far beyond the academic community. It concerns the Papyrus Anastasi I — a text from the 13th century BC, which is kept in the British Museum and has unexpectedly prompted a new perspective on biblical legends about giants.

This document has long been known to Egyptologists, but today it is read differently. Not as a curiosity of the era, but as a possible key to understanding where the legends of mysterious tribes and people of gigantic stature mentioned in the Bible might have originated.

The new wave of interest in the papyrus was reported by the publication Daily Mail, after which the topic went beyond scientific journals and once again became a subject of public discussion.

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What is the papyrus and why is it controversial

Papyrus Anastasi I is a satirical letter from the Egyptian scribe Hori to his colleague. In the text, he ironically, and at times deliberately exaggeratedly, describes the dangerous lands of Canaan and the nomadic Shasu tribes, which, according to him, inhabited the mountainous regions.

It is here that a detail appears that has caught the attention of modern researchers. The author mentions people up to five cubits tall — approximately two to two and a half meters. For the Bronze Age, such parameters were exceptional. In a society where the average height was significantly lower, such people could well be perceived as real giants.

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Resonance with biblical texts

These descriptions unexpectedly resonate with biblical stories. The Old Testament mentions the “sons of Anak,” as well as other giants, with whom, according to legend, the Israelites encountered. From the same cultural layer comes the image of Goliath — a Philistine warrior of extraordinary height.

Some researchers suggest that such biblical images may not have arisen out of nowhere. According to their version, the stories could be based on real encounters with tribes of people of abnormally tall stature who lived in the Middle East several thousand years ago.

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Where is the line between text and myth

However, most scholars urge caution. Papyrus Anastasi I has a pronounced satirical character. Its author did not aim for an accurate ethnographic recording of reality. On the contrary, the text is full of artistic exaggerations and serves more as an example of the literary irony of its time.

Archaeology has yet to present convincing physical evidence of the existence of entire nations of giant people. There are no mass graves, no skeletons that would confirm the systematic existence of a “race of giants.”

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Why this artifact is still important

Even if the papyrus does not prove the literal existence of biblical giants, it says a lot about the fears, images, and imagination of ancient civilizations. For Egyptians and the peoples of the region, tall nomads could have seemed frightening and unusual — so much so that over time their images became shrouded in myths.

This is where an important context emerges: religious texts rarely arise in a vacuum. They absorb real impressions, rumors, exaggerated stories of travelers and warriors.

Amid these discussions, NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency highlights the main point: such findings do not “disprove” or “prove” the Bible directly. They show how the world of ancient human perceptions was formed and why mythological images could have quite earthly roots.

Papyrus Anastasi I remains a text — not sensational evidence, but a rare window into the mindset of people in the Bronze Age. And it is precisely for this reason that it continues to intrigue both scholars and those seeking the boundary between history and legend.

Heading ‘Jews from Ukraine’ on the website NAnews #JewsofUkraine reveals inspiring stories of outstanding Jews whose destinies and achievements connect Ukraine and Israel

In Ukraine, a memorial sign was installed on the facade of the house in Odessa at 9 Malaya Arnautskaya Street, where Chaim Bialik lived in 1907.

The Jewish community of Ukraine shaped the personality and work of the poet and Zionist Chaim Nachman Bialik, who became the national poet of Israel. His life is the story of the unification of the Jewish culture of Ukraine and Israel.

Chaim Nachman Bialik was born on January 9, 1873 in the village of Ivnitsa, near Zhitomir, in the Volyn province (now Ukraine).

Ukraine at the end of the 19th century was the center of Jewish culture and traditions. It was in this environment that Bialik’s personality was formed, who drew inspiration from the shtetls and the rich spiritual life of the local Jewish communities.

His father, Isaac Joseph, was engaged in the timber trade and mill business, but died when Chaim was only 7 years old. After this, he was raised by his grandfather Yakov Moshe Bialik, who became for him a symbol of Jewish wisdom and spirituality.

Bialik began his education in cheder, and in his youth he independently studied literature and philosophy. He later studied at the famous Volozhin Yeshiva in Lithuania, where he delved into the study of Jewish traditions.

In the 1890s, Bialik began publishing his first poems and poems, which quickly brought him recognition. In Odessa, he became an active participant in the cultural life of the Jewish community and founded a publishing house “Moriah”which contributed to the development of Hebrew literature.

After the revolution and difficult years in Soviet Russia, Bialik emigrated to Palestine, where he devoted himself to the development of Jewish culture. He actively participated in the work of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the theater “Habima” and other key projects.

Bialik died on July 4, 1934 in Vienna, but his legacy lives on today, inspiring millions of people.

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Jewish Ukraine: cradle of inspiration

Ukraine at the end of the 19th century was the center of Jewish culture and traditions. It was in this environment that Bialik’s personality was formed, who drew inspiration from the shtetls and the rich spiritual life of the local Jewish communities.

• Ivnitsa and Zhytomyr:

  Here Bialik absorbed the atmosphere of Jewish family life, which became the foundation of his worldview.

• Odessa as a cultural center:

  Odessa was the place where Bialik not only developed his creativity, but also participated in educational and publishing projects. It was here that he finally established himself as a poet and thinker.

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Chaim Nachman Bialik in Odessa: creativity and cultural influence

Odessa became a real center of inspiration and intellectual growth for Chaim Nachman Bialik. This city, with a thriving Jewish community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, provided him with opportunities for literary, publishing and social activities.

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Literary environment

Odessa was home to many prominent Jewish writers and thinkers, with whom Bialik actively collaborated:

• Mendele Moyher-Sforim – “the grandfather of Jewish literature”, whose work inspired Bialik.
• Sholom Aleichem – a famous author who created works in Yiddish.
• Yehuda Leib Peretz – one of the leaders of the Jewish Enlightenment.

These connections helped Bialik deepen his understanding of Jewish culture and enrich his own creativity.

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Publishing house “Moriya”

One of Bialik’s most important projects in Odessa was the founding of a publishing house “Moriah”.

• Purpose of the publishing house: popularization of Hebrew and creation of educational literature.
• Books: publication of textbooks, works of art and translations.

Bialik saw Moriah as a tool for the revival of Jewish culture through literature and education.

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Literary activity

In Odessa, Bialik wrote many of his significant works:

• Poems that reflected the suffering and hopes of the Jewish people.
• An essay on the revival of Hebrew as a literary language.
• Translations including Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Schiller’s poems, which he adapted for Jewish audiences.

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Odessa as a center of Zionism

Odessa was a key center of the Zionist movement, and Bialik actively participated in its activities.

• He supported the idea of ​​​​the return of Jews to Eretz Israel.
• Participated in discussions on issues of Jewish education and culture.
• He was part of the preparations for the Zionist congresses, where issues of national revival were raised.

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Departure from Odessa

After the 1917 revolution, increased anti-Semitism and restrictions on the Jewish intelligentsia made staying in Odessa dangerous. In 1921, thanks to the petition of Maxim Gorky, Bialik emigrated.

“Odessa will forever remain the place where I found the voice of my people,” – he wrote.

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Heritage of Odessa

Odessa became for Bialik a place where he was able to combine Jewish traditions and modern ideas, laying the foundation for the revival of Hebrew literature. Today, his activities in this city remain a symbol of the unity of the cultures of Ukraine and Israel.

Zionism and the work of Bialik

Chaim Nachman Bialik was not only a poet, but also a staunch Zionist. He actively participated in the Zionist congresses (1907 and 1913) and believed that the revival of the Jewish people was possible only through the return to the homeland of their ancestors – Eretz Israel.

“Jewish culture is a bridge between the past and the future. We must revive our identity to gain strength.” – he wrote.

Bialik celebrated Jewish life, the ideals of the Enlightenment and Zionism, and his work became an important part of the cultural heritage of the Jewish people.

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Jewish culture of Ukraine in the works of Bialik

In his poems and poems, Bialik reflected the life and traditions of Jewish Ukraine. His works are filled with shtetl motifs, Jewish wisdom and pain for the suffering of the people.

• In a poem “Violinist” he celebrates the spirit of Jewish music heard in the shtetls.
• In the poem “Dead Trees” Memories of village life, full of difficulties and hopes, are conveyed.
• His essays talk about the need for spiritual revival and preservation of traditions.

Motives	Examples in Bialik’s work
Traditions of Judaism	Poems about the wisdom of the Talmud and spiritual quests
Love for Ukraine	Lyrical poems about the “native land”
The pain of the Jewish people	Poems dedicated to pogroms and tragedies

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Moving to Palestine: a dream come true

In 1921, Bialik moved to Palestine, where he continued his cultural and literary heritage.

• He initiated the creation Technion and participated in the theater “Habima”.
• His poems were included in school curricula, and his songs became the anthems of the Yishuv.

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Bialik’s legacy

1. House Museum in Tel Aviv:

   His works, letters and documents are collected here.

2. Bialik Prize:

   Awarded annually for outstanding achievements in literature.

3. Memory in Ukraine:

   Bialik’s grandfather’s house in Zhitomir has been preserved as a symbol of his connection with his homeland.

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Conclusion

Chaim Nachman Bialik is a symbol of Jewish culture who connected Ukraine and Israel in his work. His life inspires us to preserve traditions and build a bright future for the Jewish people.

Read more about great Jews from Ukraine at NAnews – Israel Newswhere we talk about what unites our peoples.

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Read on WhatsApp — channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News

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In Israel, the name of the mayor of a major city in the south of the country, suspected of embezzling donations collected during the war to help civilians, has been announced. Today he was detained in Eilat, where he was participating in a conference of local council treasurers.

The matter concerns the Ashkelon municipality. According to Channel 14, the main figure in the investigation is the city’s mayor, Tomer Glam. He was interrogated by officers from the police anti-corruption unit along with assistants and several high-ranking municipal employees.

The arrest occurred on the same day when Glam was among colleagues — people responsible for budgets and the distribution of public funds. The investigative actions were a complete surprise to the conference participants.

The case gained particular resonance due to a detail reported by eyewitnesses to the newspaper “Israel Hayom.” A few hours before the arrest, the mayor of Ashkelon delivered an emotional speech about the inadmissibility of corruption in local government bodies. His words sounded like a manifesto of honesty — and now they appear especially contrasting against the backdrop of the suspicions.

The 50-year-old Glam told the audience that he learned a simple rule from childhood. According to him, his mother always repeated: with personal money, you can do as you please, but public funds are “sacred” and require special responsibility. These phrases, spoken from the podium, were later called “striking” by conference participants in light of the ongoing investigation.

In his speech, the mayor instructed colleagues from local councils, emphasizing that their task is not to keep budgets in offices but to bring money to the residents. He spoke about waste removal, education, culture, the ability to negotiate with the government, and finding funding. “And the money is there,” he assured the audience.

This is where the story takes on an especially harsh context. NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency points out: when public statements about morality and responsibility coincide with suspicions of systemic corruption, the public damage goes far beyond the specific case.

According to the investigation, the scheme looked like this: large sums of donations were transferred through a number of unnamed business structures. In return, fictitious receipts were issued for work and services that were not actually performed. The money intended for the affected population of the south of the country ended up in the pockets of the suspects.

We are talking about millions of shekels — funds donated by Israelis and foreign donors, expecting that they would go to help people who survived rocket attacks and evacuation.

Around noon, Israeli media reported another detail: as part of the investigation, the mayor’s wife, Tali Glam, was detained for questioning. Her possible role in the financial operations is also being studied by the investigation.

At the moment, the police continue to collect testimonies and analyze financial documents. No official charges have been filed yet, but the very fact of the mayor’s arrest during a professional conference has already become one of the most high-profile corruption scandals of the year.

The investigation continues. Its results will have significance not only for Ashkelon but for the entire local government system in Israel — especially in wartime conditions, when trust in the distribution of public funds becomes critically important.

In 2025, Israel shows signs of recovery in international tourism after several challenging years. By the end of the year, the country was visited by about 1.3 million foreign tourists — a figure higher than in 2024, but still significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

The main influx traditionally came from the USA, France, and the UK, accounting for more than half of all foreign visits. Next in the statistics are Russia, Germany, and Ukraine, which by the end of the year ranked 6th in the number of tourists visiting Israel.

According to tourism statistics, in 2025, about 31,000 Ukrainian citizens visited Israel, placing the country in sixth position among all source countries of inbound tourism. Formally, this appears as a steady interest in Israel from Eastern Europe, but behind the Ukrainian numbers lies a much more complex and painful reality.

Main data on tourist flow to Israel in 2025

• Total number of tourists: about 1.3 million people

• Leading countries by number of visits:

  1. USA — about 400,000

  2. France — approximately 159,000

  3. UK — about 95,000

  4. Russia — about 64,000

  5. Germany — approximately 38,000

  6. Ukraine — about 31,000

  7. Canada — about 28,000

  8. Romania — approximately 27,000

Ukraine was among the countries with a noticeable inbound flow, but unlike most countries on this list, a significant portion of Ukrainians arrive in Israel not as classic tourists.

War, “tourist” status, and distorted statistics

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, many citizens of the country have been entering Israel, fleeing the hostilities. Formally, they often fall under the tourist category — not because they are going on vacation, but because there is simply no other quick and working entry mechanism for them. In fact, these are refugees temporarily in the country, often without stable status, work, and certainty about the future.

At first glance, the question may arise: why Israel, and why do people fleeing the war end up here as “tourists.” The answer for Ukrainians is usually obvious but not always spoken aloud. Many of them have relatives in Israel, family and community ties, friends, distant and close family members. For some Ukrainians, including Ukrainian Jews, Israel is not an abstract country but a place where they can find temporary refuge, support, and minimal safety when alternatives are either closed or too dangerous.

Behind the dry phrase “Ukrainian tourists” lie destroyed cities, ruined homes, families torn apart by war. Among these people are Ukrainian Jews, whose communities have suffered from Russian shelling, occupation, civilian casualties, and the destruction of synagogues, cemeteries, and cultural centers. For them, coming to Israel is not a journey or a choice of “convenient destination,” but a forced step dictated by war.

This is why including Ukrainians in the overall tourism statistics without explanations and context distorts the real picture. This is not a flow of vacationers, but a reflection of an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe that has been going on for the third year. When such people are counted alongside classic tourists from peaceful countries, the main thing disappears — the understanding that behind the numbers are living people fleeing war, not suitcases with beachwear.

Why Ukraine and Russia are in the same statistics

Against this backdrop, the fact that Israel continues to account for and actively accept tourists from Russia — a country waging an aggressive war against Ukraine and directly responsible for the destruction of Ukrainian cities, including those with centuries-old Jewish history — is increasingly perceived acutely.

For many Ukrainians, including Ukrainian Jews, it seems incomprehensible and painful why tourists from the aggressor state are in the same category as citizens of democratic countries. Especially since Russia not only bombs Ukraine but also systematically cooperates with Iran, supports forces threatening Israel’s security, supplies weapons, and conducts anti-Western and anti-Israeli policies on the international stage.

This contrast — between the status of Ukrainians fleeing war and the tourist prosperity of Russian citizens — increasingly becomes a subject of public indignation and a moral question for which there is no clear answer yet.

The tourism economy and the reality behind the numbers

The average spending of an individual tourist in Israel in 2025 was about 1,622 dollars, and the average length of stay was approximately 9.3 nights. Most visitors reported high satisfaction with their visit and willingness to recommend Israel as a tourist destination.

Domestic tourism also remained an important pillar of the industry: by the end of the third quarter, Israelis made more than 13 million overnight stays in the country’s hotels. However, behind the positive dynamics of the numbers remains the key question — what reality do these numbers actually reflect and whom exactly does the state consider a “tourist” in the conditions of war in Europe and growing instability in the Middle East.

It is such nuances and contradictions that NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency captures, considering tourism statistics not only as an economic indicator but also as a reflection of the moral, humanitarian, and political choices facing Israel today.

Short answer. This is a play, not an opera. The premiere is scheduled for January 2026: director — Yevhen Lavrenchuk (Ukraine), stage designer — Efim Ruah (Israel).

The announcement was made by the leadership of the Transcarpathian Academic Music and Drama Theater (Uzhhorod, Ukraine). The international team promises a living musical fabric, expressive scenography, and direct dialogue with the audience.

The Transcarpathian theater promises not just a production, but a theatrical breakthrough, where the classics gain new life.

“Aeneid” by Ivan Kotliarevsky

“Aeneas was a lively fellow
And a real fine Cossack lad,
Quick to act in every trouble,
The boldest tramp of all the band.
…”

“Aeneid” is a burlesque-travesty poem by Ivan Kotliarevsky, first published in 1798. Simply put, it is a humorous, ironic version of Virgil’s ancient epic, where the majestic heroes are turned into ordinary Ukrainian Cossacks, and the mythological gods into recognizable figures of folk satire.

This work became the first book written entirely in the living Ukrainian language, and it is from this point that the beginning of modern Ukrainian literature is usually counted. For Ukrainians, “Aeneid” is not just a parody, but a cultural manifesto: proof that the native language is capable not only of songs and ballads, but also of large literary forms.

History of creation

The first three parts of “Aeneid” were printed in St. Petersburg in 1798. The author kept editing and expanding the text, bringing it to six parts in the 1820s. The complete edition appeared in 1842, already after Kotliarevsky’s death.

For its time, the poem was a daring gesture: the “high” genre — the epic — sounded in colloquial Ukrainian, full of jokes, proverbs, and everyday details.

Plot and tone

At the core is the classical story of the wanderings of the Trojan Aeneas. But in Kotliarevsky’s interpretation, he becomes a “lively fellow”, who argues, falls in love, makes mistakes, and acts like a normal living person.

The gods in Kotliarevsky speak a simple language and behave like typical representatives of Ukrainian society of the late 18th century. This makes the text both funny and recognizable. Laughter here performs not an entertaining but a critical function: it allows one to call things by their names and expose social ills.

Significance for Ukraine and the Ukrainian language

“Aeneid” is the starting point of modern Ukrainian literature. It showed that the Ukrainian language is suitable for serious genres and able to compete with the “great” European literatures.

The poem absorbed the living folk speech: cuisine, proverbs, nicknames, everyday scenes. Thanks to this, the text became a people’s encyclopedia of 18th-century Ukraine. For schoolchildren, it is still an entry into the world of Ukrainian identity, and for theater — an inexhaustible source of rhythm, imagery, and irony.

The return of the classics in turbulent times

When wars rage in Ukraine and the very sense of reality changes, Kotliarevsky’s laughter sounds especially relevant. His irony is not entertainment, but a way to survive and comprehend chaos.

“Aeneid” as no one has ever seen: Transcarpathian Academic Music and Drama Theater prepares the event of the year

Key statements

The event was announced on his Facebook page by Rudolf Dzurynets, director and artistic head of the drama theater (translated from Ukrainian):

“Our Transcarpathian Academic Music and Drama Theater is preparing the event of the year — the large-scale premiere of “AENEID”. Premiere in January.

This is not just a play. This is a theatrical breakthrough, where classics acquire a modern sound, and art becomes a territory of strength, courage, and great play.

And this powerful team is led by director Eugene Lavrenchuk — Honored Artist of Ukraine, Honored Worker of Arts of Poland, prominent Israeli cultural figure, laureate of the Les Kurbas State Prize and the National Theater Award “GRA”.

This will be a play where word, music, voice, movement, and image merge into a single action.

This will be an “Aeneid” that no one has ever seen.

For me, as head of the theater, this premiere is more than an event. It is a symbol of our ambition and faith that Ukrainian theater can be dynamic, modern, and of world level.

Thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the opportunity to work.”

Production team (from the announcement)

• Director: Yevhen Lavrenchuk.
• Stage designer: Efim Ruah (Israel).
• Costume designer: Mira Matchina (Ukraine—France).
• Dramaturg: Anton Lytvynov.
• Composer: Ruben Tolmachev; on stage — vocal ensemble Man Sound and academic choir Cantus.
• Choreographer: Dmytro Kolyadenko.
• Public accent: participation of “Carpathian Sich” veterans.

Uzhhorod version of “Aeneid”

Genre and dramaturgy

This is a modern theatrical production with a strong musical component — not an opera. Dramaturg Anton Lytvynov is responsible for the pace and structure, preserving the irony and lively speech of the original.

Music and choir

Ruben Tolmachev (leader of Man Sound) shapes the sound fabric of the performance. On stage — Man Sound and the academic choir Cantus: the ensemble adds volume, breath, and emotional peaks without the “overload” of the opera form.

Plasticity and movement

Dmytro Kolyadenko builds the plastic score, where ensemble scenes drive the meaning, not just illustrate it. This is important for “Aeneid”, where mask changes and burlesque energy require precise physical rhythm.

Space and light

Efim Ruah is responsible for the “breathing” of space: mobile constructions, light work, scale transformation. The scenography is designed to maintain the general rhythm — word, voice, movement, and image form a single action.

Efim Ruah

Efim Borysovych Ruah is a theater stage designer and teacher. For many years he worked in Moscow theater schools (GITIS, Shchukin School, MXAT Studio School) and created scenography for drama and opera productions. His style is valued for making the stage alive: the space does not just decorate the action but becomes an independent artistic image.

Today Ruah lives in Israel. He continues to be active creatively: he teaches online classes for students, runs the Telegram channel “Efim Ruah”, paints, and writes poetry. He remains an inspired person for whom art is both a profession and the meaning of life.

Scenography style

Ruah’s scenography is minimalist in objects but rich in light, air, and movement. His sets always transform, adapting to dramaturgy — his stage “breathes” and lives in the same rhythm as the actors. This approach is especially important for the production of “Aeneid”: here word, music, and movement must merge into a single action.

Style and significance

Ruah is known for treating scenography as a full-fledged language of theater. His solutions help not only to create an atmosphere but also to convey the idea of the production to the audience. That is why he remains in demand today, working on international projects and continuing collaborations with directors, including Yevhen Lavrenchuk.

Yevhen Lavrenchuk

Vision and principles

Yevhen Lavrenchuk is a Ukrainian opera and drama director, teacher, author of dozens of productions in Ukraine and abroad. He works with classics without “museum dust”: precise mise-en-scène, discipline of rhythm, respect for text and actor.

Chief director of the Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (2018–2021).
Rector of the “First Ukrainian School of Theater and Cinema” (2018), founder and chairman of the expert council of the All-Ukrainian Opera Forum.

He has directed more than 30 productions and is a laureate of international competitions and festivals in Europe. He continues staging productions and is engaged in active teaching in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Lithuania, and Israel.

Author of his own method of teaching acting and directing.
Honored Artist of Ukraine (2021).

Lavrenchuk not only actively works in Ukraine but has also staged plays in Israel. In 2015, at the Heichal Tarbut Theater in Netanya, his opera “Judas and His Brothers” based on the First Book of Maccabees was staged.

In 2016 he was awarded the title “Outstanding Cultural Figure of the State of Israel” — recognition of his professionalism and contribution to Israeli cultural life.

In the spring of 2025, the director publicly terminated a contract in Jerusalem because of the participation of Russian performers — a gesture that explains his ethical framework and responsibility to the audience.

The Lavrenchuk and Ruah tandem: history in performances

The collaboration of director Yevhen Lavrenchuk and stage designer Efim Ruah has lasted many years. Their joint works have always been events — in Tomsk, in Odesa, in Europe, and in Ukraine.

Back in the late 2000s, they staged “Anna Karenina” at the Tomsk Youth Theater. For that time it was a bold attempt to update the stage language of the classics. Ruah created a plastic space that breathed with the characters, while Lavrenchuk built a strict directing score. The play was noted by festival juries, and it was then that the tandem first loudly declared itself.

In the early 2010s, Lavrenchuk and Ruah continued to work in Tomsk: “Biloxi Blues” and “Amazonia” appeared in the drama theater. It became clear that this was not a one-time union but a real creative partnership. The artist proposed metaphors through scenography, and the director turned them into living direction — and vice versa.

A real breakthrough was “La Traviata” at the Odesa Opera, which premiered on November 9, 2019. Lavrenchuk removed all additions, leaving only Verdi’s original in Italian. Ruah made the element of wind the main image of the performance: the scenery constantly transformed, everything swirled, and at the end of the third act a blizzard of costumes rose above the choir. This was not just decoration but an independent artistic language. The production attracted the press from all over Europe, sparked debates and admiration, and later received the Les Kurbas Prize and awards at the “GRA” festival.

In June 2024, their duo once again made a statement — this time at the “Theater of Coryphaei” with the premiere of the play “Before the Will”. Here Lavrenchuk created a sound and plastic score, Ruah — scenography, Mira Matchina — costumes, Svitlana Zmieieva — light, and Anton Lytvynov — dramaturgy. Critics noted that the aesthetics of the production refer to “La Traviata”: the same pearly visuality, fantasy lightness, but at the same time depth and modern nerve.

That is why today, when they take on the “Aeneid”, expectations are so high. Lavrenchuk and Ruah have proven: their tandem can combine classics and innovation, working on the edge of the familiar and the unexpected.

International cooperation against boycotts

Why this matters now

Around the world, sentiments of rejection and boycott of Israel are growing — in universities, culture, sports. It is easy to lock oneself into national “apartments”, but theater lives on dialogue. The joint work of Ukrainian and Israeli artists is not a courtesy gesture but a professional practice of a common stage language and shared responsibility. This project shows how culture is stronger than noise, and cooperation produces results understood both in Uzhhorod and in Tel Aviv.

NAnews keeps its radar on Israel News and Ukraine: culture, politics, economy, the life of the Jewish community and diaspora in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We deliberately insert in the middle of the article the link “NAnews — Israel News” to emphasize the focus of the publication and to show how the Ukrainian-Israeli project becomes a bridge between audiences.

In the second half of the season, the editorial team will continue to monitor the premiere in the general news flow so that readers in Israel and the Ukrainian diaspora can see how meanings are born in cooperation, not isolation.

Calendar and organizational details

• When: starting January 2026; the exact date will be announced by the theater later.
• Where: Transcarpathian Academic Music and Drama Theater.
• Who is on stage: Man Sound and Cantus; participation of “Carpathian Sich” veterans announced in the teaser.
• Who is responsible for what: direction — Yevhen Lavrenchuk; scenography — Efim Ruah; costumes — Mira Matchina; dramaturgy — Anton Lytvynov; music — Ruben Tolmachev; plasticity — Dmytro Kolyadenko.

Website of the Transcarpathian Academic Music and Drama Theater — https://www.dramteatr.uz.ua/

The Transcarpathian drama theater does not “museumize” the classics — it debates with them and revives them. This “Aeneid” is the energy of text, musical impulse, and breathing space. The tandem Lavrenchuk — Ruah has already proven the compatibility of strict direction and expressive scenography; now — a premiere that one wants to see among the first.

FAQ

Is this an opera or a play?

A play. Music is an important part, but the format is not operatic.

When is the premiere and where to follow the date?

Starts in January. The exact day will be announced by the theater on its official platforms and posters.

Who is making the production?

Director — Yevhen Lavrenchuk; stage designer — Efim Ruah (Israel); costumes — Mira Matchina; dramaturgy — Anton Lytvynov; music — Ruben Tolmachev; choreography — Dmytro Kolyadenko; on stage — Man Sound and Cantus.

Why emphasize the Israeli context?

Because Ukrainian-Israeli cooperation is important against the background of boycott calls and serves as a real bridge between audiences.

The tragedy occurred on Saturday, February 1, 2026, during the day, around 17:00 local time. In the Pavlograd district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces struck with attack drones in an area where a service bus with miners was located.

According to preliminary data, 15 people were killed as a result of the attack, and at least seven more were injured with varying degrees of severity. All the victims are civilians.

This concerns a service bus of one of the enterprises, which was performing a shift transfer of mine workers. At the time of the strike, people were on their way to work. There was no military equipment or military units nearby.

The incident was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, Sergey Ganja. According to him, the Russian attack UAV exploded in close proximity to the bus, after which a fire broke out. The fire was extinguished by SES units.

Emergency services arrived at the scene within a short time. Medics, rescuers, and investigative-operational groups were working. The final number of victims is being clarified, as some of the injured were taken to hospitals in serious condition.

According to local media, the tragedy occurred in the area of the village of Ternovka, near the city of Pavlograd. The bus with miners — employees of DTEK “Pavlogradugol,” one of the key enterprises in Ukraine’s energy sector, was hit.

People’s Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada and head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, Mikhail Volynets, clarified that the bus was on a standard work route. According to him, the attack was carried out by four Shahed-type attack drones, indicating a targeted and deliberate nature of the strike.

“This is the kind of ‘energy truce’ and these are the ‘negotiations’ — when they cynically strike at the people on whom the country’s energy and the most difficult heating season in its history depend,” Volynets stated.

The village of Ternovka is located approximately 70 kilometers from the front line. It is not a frontline zone but a rear area where critical infrastructure continues to operate.

In this context, NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency emphasizes: the strike on the bus with miners on February 1 is not a random incident but another episode of a systematic war against the civilian population and Ukraine’s energy resilience.

The investigation continues. The Ukrainian side is documenting the circumstances of the attack and preparing materials for international instances. The names of the deceased people, who were simply on their way to work that day, are gradually becoming known.

Thousands of forgotten Jewish cemeteries are scattered across Ukraine — from Lviv to Odessa, from Podolia to Transcarpathia. On their matzevot — ancient tombstones with inscriptions in Hebrew — one can still read the names of rabbis, craftsmen, women, and children whose lives ended in the last century. These stones are the last witnesses of an entire world that disappeared in the whirlwind of history.

Today, this world is beginning to be restored: researchers, students, volunteers, international funds. Ukraine is gradually reclaiming its Jewish memory — cleaning matzevot, erecting fences, deciphering inscriptions, learning to read the language of stone.

The impetus for a new wave of attention was an event in the Khmelnytskyi region — a seminar of the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF), held on October 21, 2025, at the Jewish cemetery in the town of Horodok. This is where our story begins about how history, which cannot be erased, is being revived.

Unique Seminar in Horodok

On October 21, 2025, in the town of Horodok, Khmelnytskyi region, a unique seminar was held on the territory of the local Jewish cemetery. The organizer was the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) — European Initiative for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries, with the support of the German Foreign Ministry.

The event was conducted by researcher Yevhen Levinzon, a well-known specialist in Jewish epigraphy.

The seminar was attended by museum staff, local historians, students of the International Certification Program in Judaica, journalists, and local residents. They studied the inscriptions on matzevot — stone tombstones that tell the stories of people who lived here three hundred or more years ago.

Horodok became a symbol of a new wave of interest in Ukraine’s Jewish heritage. Here, as in many towns of Podolia, there was a large Jewish community before the war, founded back in the 17th century. According to Yad Vashem, in 1939, more than 2,500 Jews lived in Horodok — almost a third of the population. After the Holocaust, the community disappeared, and the cemetery remained the only witness to this history.

The seminar was accompanied by presentations of ESJF projects, including the International Jewish Cemetery Research Competition, which takes place in the fall of 2025. The organization reminded that in 2024, a new protective fence was installed here in Horodok, funded by Germany as part of a pan-European program for the preservation of Jewish necropolises.

The Scale of Jewish Cemeteries in Ukraine

Modern research records from 1,000 to 1,500 Jewish cemeteries and mass burial sites in Ukraine.

• According to ESJF, by 2024, 4,140 Jewish cemeteries were surveyed in just 10 Eastern European countries, about 1,500 of which are in Ukraine.
• The Jewish Heritage Guide confirms: in Lviv, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions alone — over 500 sites.
• As early as 2005, the “Lo Tishkach” report recorded 731 cemeteries and 495 mass burial sites.

The highest concentration is in the western regions: Galicia, Volhynia, Podolia, Bukovina, Transcarpathia.
In the central and eastern regions (Poltava, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk), large urban necropolises of the 19th–20th centuries have been preserved.

The Largest Jewish Necropolises in Ukraine

Chernivtsi — one of the largest cemeteries in Eastern Europe (area 14 ha, about 50,000 burials). Founded in 1866, it is still in operation and has been state-protected since 1995. Here rest rabbis, professors of Chernivtsi University, poets, and public figures of Bukovina.

Lviv — New Jewish necropolis on Zolochivska Street (founded in 1855). Despite the destruction of World War II and the Soviet period, some tombstones — especially from the 18th–19th centuries — have been preserved.

Kyiv — Lukyanivka Jewish Cemetery, opened in 1866. There are memorial sections dedicated to Babi Yar. Many burials have been studied as part of the “Jewish Memory Map” project.

Odessa — New Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1885, became the largest in the south of the country. Here are the graves of Rabbi Yakov Leibovich, actor Beni Krik, the Schwartzman and Brodsky families.

Drohobych — 18th–19th-century cemetery, where matzevot with rare baroque motifs and inscriptions in Hebrew and German were discovered. Some monuments were restored with the support of ESJF and volunteers from Poland and Israel.

Horodok (Khmelnytskyi region) — the cemetery is known for its unique 17th–19th-century tombstones made of Podolian limestone. Symbols of Kohanim (hands in blessing), Levites (pitchers), carved images of birds, and wreaths are found here. In 2024, ESJF installed a metal fence and an information stand with a QR code leading to a map of the cemetery. Today, Horodok is considered a training ground for students of the Judaica program and local historians of Podolia.

Matzeva: The Language of Stone and Codes of Memory

Matzeva (Heb. מצבה) — a traditional Jewish tombstone, a “stone of memory,” installed on a grave shortly after burial.

Materials and Forms

• limestone, sandstone, less often granite or marble;
• usually a vertical rectangular slab, sometimes with an arch or rounded top;
• height — from 60 cm to 1.5 m; in the 18th century, Galician matzevot could be carved in the form of a portal or gate.

Language and Inscriptions

• inscriptions — in Hebrew, Aramaic, later German, Polish, Russian;
• the first lines — the abbreviation פ״נ (“Here lies”);
• the concluding formula — תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים (“May his soul be bound in the bundle of life”).

Symbolism

Each drawing is a metaphor for the life of the deceased:

• hands in blessing — Kohen;
• pitcher with water — Levite;
• candles — woman;
• lion, deer, bird, tree — allegories of courage, sorrow, or valor.
  In Galicia and Podolia, there are complete narrative compositions with animals, musical instruments, and Torah.

Classification

1. Archaic (16th–17th centuries) — simple slabs without ornamentation.
2. Baroque (18th century) — rich carvings, plant motifs.
3. Galician and Podolian (19th century) — clear iconography, family signs.
4. Soviet period (20th century) — geometric shapes, sometimes portraits.

History of Studying Matzevot and Jewish Necropolises

Interest in Jewish epigraphy in Ukraine arose as early as the 19th century.
In the 1840s, Rabbi Ber Meir Shik published the first decipherments of inscriptions in Transcarpathia.
At the end of the 19th century, researcher Shimon Dubnov included descriptions of Jewish cemeteries in his “History of the Jewish People in Russia and Poland.”
After the Holocaust, interest in the Soviet Union was almost lost.

Revival began in the 1990s:

• in 1993, the Society for the Protection of Jewish Monuments “Memorial” was established in Kyiv;
• in 1996, the first digital catalog of tombstones of the Brody cemetery appeared;
• since 2015, ESJF has been conducting systematic surveys of Jewish necropolises in Ukraine using drones and 3D models.

Modern academic centers (A. Krymsky Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Judaica Center in Kyiv and Lviv) offer courses in epigraphy, archaeology, and field research.
It is the students of these programs who participate in today’s seminars like the one held in Horodok.

International Initiatives and Education

ESJF works in partnership with the European Union, the German Foreign Policy Fund, and Ukrainian museums.
By 2024, the organization built more than 300 fences and registered the coordinates of all Jewish cemeteries in the country in an open database.

The International Interdisciplinary Certification Program in Judaica (Kyiv, A. Krymsky Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) prepares young researchers and teachers to work with Jewish heritage.
The course includes Hebrew, Yiddish, the history of Jews in Ukraine, epigraphy, and museum practice.

The International Jewish Cemetery Research Competition, announced in 2025, accepts submissions until December 1 in nine European countries. Winners will be invited to the Jewish Heritage Festival in Prague in the spring of 2026.

Conclusion

The seminar in Horodok is not a one-time event but part of a large movement to restore Jewish memory in Ukraine. Matzevot, carved in stone in the 18th century, are being read today by young researchers; cemeteries, where oblivion reigned for decades, are becoming open-air museums.

Ukraine is reclaiming the forgotten voice of Jewish heritage — and it is through projects like ESJF and the Horodok seminar that this heritage is gaining a second life.

Sources

JewishNews Ukraine — Seminar in Horodok, 2025

ESJF – European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative

Jewish Heritage Guide – Cemeteries Database

Jewish Heritage Europe – Ukraine Section

International Certification Program in Judaica (Kyiv)

Ukrainian Jewish Encounter – Essay on Cemeteries

Wikipedia – Jewish Cemetery in Chernivtsi

Support from the State of Ukraine and Local Authorities

Ukrainian state policy and local self-government bodies are increasingly involved in the protection of Jewish cemeteries and matzevot — this direction is gradually becoming part of the state memory policy. The issue was first legally established back in 1998 when the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a decree prohibiting construction and privatization on the territories of former and existing Jewish cemeteries. This document was an important step in protecting necropolises from destruction and commercial development.

The Law of Ukraine “On Burial and Funeral Affairs,” adopted in July 2003, obliged local self-government bodies to survey old burial sites, keep records, and ensure preservation. Cemeteries with historical or cultural value are subject to protection as objects of national heritage.

From 2021 to 2024, more than a hundred memorial steles were installed at Jewish cemeteries in Ukraine, and several hundred more sites received permits for restoration or fence installation.

These initiatives are implemented with the participation of the Ministry of Culture, the Institute of National Memory, local administrations, and international partners. In many cities of western Ukraine — Lviv, Sambir, Berezhany, Brody, Chortkiv — municipalities include Jewish cemeteries in urban improvement programs. Local historians, schoolchildren, volunteers, and representatives of Jewish communities participate in these projects. They clear the territory, install plaques and QR codes, and create routes “in the footsteps of Jewish history.”

Today, we can talk about a gradual transition from individual volunteer actions to a systematic model of interaction between the state, local authorities, and public organizations.

Step by step, Ukraine is creating a foundation for Jewish cemeteries to become not places of oblivion but part of the national memory and respect for the history of all peoples who lived on its land.

A column by Yevhen Korniychuk, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, was published in the Jerusalem Post. The occasion for the text was a tragedy that occurred in Kyiv just a few days ago.

Yevgenia Bezfamilnaya has died — a woman who survived the Holocaust. She, who survived one of the darkest periods in human history, did not survive this winter. She died from cold and hunger. The reason, the author emphasizes, is direct and obvious: systematic strikes by Russia on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

In the very city where she experienced persecution and the threat of annihilation as a child, decades later, Yevgenia once again found herself without heat, without electricity, and without basic security. The story has come full circle in a cruel way — already in the 21st century.

Korniychuk draws attention to an especially painful contrast. In the same week, the Russian Embassy in Israel held a ceremony at the memorial to the defenders of the Siege of Leningrad. There, they remembered Russian citizens who died in World War II from hunger and cold as victims of fascism.

The memory of these people is sacred. But, the author writes, in this juxtaposition of past and present, deep cynicism is revealed. The state that publicly honors the suffering of its citizens from that era today pursues a policy that consciously leads to cold and hunger among the civilian population of Ukraine.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the ambassador emphasizes, is not only a day of remembrance. It is a day of moral reckoning. The Holocaust was unique in its scale, ideology, and systematic destruction. It cannot and should not be compared to other tragedies. But its lessons are universal.

Dehumanization of a people. Justification of aggression and violence with distorted historical narratives. Using civilians as a tool of pressure. Humanity has already walked this path — and knows where it leads.

Russia’s war against Ukraine, writes Korniychuk in the Jerusalem Post, is not just a dispute over territories. It is a targeted attack on identity, culture, and the very right of a sovereign nation to exist. When power plants are destroyed in winter, when millions are left without water and heating, this is not “collateral damage,” but a deliberate strategy of pressure on the civilian population.

For Israel, a state born from the ashes of the Holocaust and living with the collective memory of “Never Again,” this issue resonates particularly sharply. Memory that does not become a moral guide risks turning into an empty ritual. True preservation of memory requires a clear stance — against aggression, against terrorizing civilians, against attempts to erase national identity.

In this context, NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency emphasizes: the publication in the Jerusalem Post is not just the opinion of a diplomat, but a reminder that historical memory obliges action.

The woman who died this winter in Kyiv should not become a political symbol. She is a human reminder that history does not remain in textbooks. It returns if the world chooses not to look directly.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, writes Korniychuk, the world must ask itself: is it enough for us to remember — or do we allow memory to guide our actions? When evil rises again in Europe, words alone are not enough. Moral clarity, solidarity with victims, and the protection of basic principles of freedom and human dignity are needed.

A new wave of discussions has erupted in the USA around the so-called “Epstein files.” Documents published by the Department of Justice unexpectedly brought Russia and Putin personally to the forefront — a figure whose name, according to journalists, appears in these materials more than a thousand times.

The matter concerns a collection of correspondence and official records related to American financier Jeffrey Epstein, convicted of sexual crimes and human trafficking. According to Western media, the new publications could affect not only Epstein’s own history but also a broader international context — including US-Russia relations and political risks for Donald Trump’s entourage.

The materials were released by the US Department of Justice and immediately became the subject of analysis by journalists and intelligence experts. Attention was drawn not only to the content but also to the statistics. The published files contain 1,056 mentions of Putin and 9,629 mentions of Moscow. For investigators and analysts, such numbers appear abnormally high.

According to the Daily Mail, American security specialists are considering the possibility of Epstein’s connections with Russian structures. In particular, there is a hypothesis about the use of the classic “honeytrap” scheme — sexual compromise of influential figures for the purpose of further pressure or recruitment.

Experts indicate that Epstein could have been drawn into such mechanisms through business and personal contacts. At the center of attention is Robert Maxwell, media magnate and father of Ghislaine Maxwell. According to the investigation, she played a key role in Epstein’s network and assisted him in organizing crimes. Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence in an American prison.

American sources in the intelligence community believe that Maxwell Sr.’s connections could have been an “entry point” into the world of international espionage. Hence the theory that Epstein found himself “on the ice of intelligence games,” where the personal weaknesses of influential people were turned into a tool of pressure.

A separate layer involves possible contacts with Russian organized crime. According to the investigation, this could explain how Epstein was able to bring girls from Russia and post-Soviet countries for years without hindrance. The version of blackmail by criminal structures is also considered one of the reasons for his vulnerability.

The context of Putin’s mentions in the documents is of particular interest. In one letter dated September 11, 2011, an unknown author discusses a potential meeting with Putin during a planned trip to Russia. Other fragments mention 2014 as a possible date for another meeting. There is no direct evidence in the documents that such contacts actually took place, but the mere fact of regular mentions has already become a cause for scandal.

The story of Jeffrey Epstein is well known, but the new publications bring it back to the center of public attention. The financier was first arrested in 2008 and convicted of sex with minors and organizing prostitution. After 13 months of imprisonment, he made a deal with the prosecution and was released — an episode still called one of the most controversial in American justice history.

In 2019, Epstein faced new charges — this time for human trafficking. It was then revealed that the FBI found thousands of names of well-known politicians, businessmen, and public figures in his notebooks. This sparked a wave of suspicions and indirect accusations against people who might have used his services.

The second arrest took place on July 7, 2019. Less than a month later, on August 10, Epstein was found dead in his cell. The official version is suicide. However, the circumstances of his death still raise questions and fuel conspiracy theories.

For the Israeli and international audience, this story is important not only as a criminal chronicle. It demonstrates how closely politics, intelligence services, money, and personal weaknesses of elites are intertwined. Such stories form the backdrop of global distrust and become tools of information wars.

In this context, NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency notes that the appearance of Putin’s name in the Epstein files — even without direct evidence — already has a political effect. In the era of hybrid conflicts, a hint, a number, or a leak is enough to trigger a chain of international consequences.

The investigation continues. And the more documents enter the public domain, the more obvious it becomes: Epstein’s story has long gone beyond a single criminal case and has turned into a mirror of global politics, where every name and every date matters.

The establishment of the Mark Azbel Prize has been announced in Israel, aimed at supporting young researchers in the field of theoretical physics within the framework of Kharkiv National University.

Mark Yakovlevich Azbel

Mark Yakovlevich Azbel (1932 – 2020) was an outstanding physicist, a graduate of Kharkiv University, a dissident, and an organizer of scientists’ resistance to the Soviet totalitarian regime, and a professor at Tel Aviv University.

Irina Kolodnaya, the scientist’s widow, writes that the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter discussed with Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, the details of her private initiative to establish a prize to commemorate her husband. In the first stage, Irina Kolodnaya is allocating $25,000 — $5,000 annually over five years — for the Mark Azbel Prize, whose laureates will be selected from among young physics researchers at Kharkiv National University.

“I am sure that Mark would have done exactly that — directed assistance to Kharkiv University, where he studied and began his scientific career, and which is now experiencing difficult times along with Kharkiv and all of Ukraine due to Russian aggression,” said Irina Kolodnaya.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, emphasized at a meeting with Irina Kolodnaya:

“I sincerely thank you for this wonderful initiative. Any help to Ukraine is very much needed now. I am confident that Kharkiv will overcome all the difficulties of the war and remain a flagship of Ukrainian science. I hope that other patrons will follow your example, strengthening humanitarian, scientific, and human ties between Israel and Ukraine.”

The rector of KNU, Tatyana Kaganovskaya, and the University Academic Council fully supported the establishment of the Mark Azbel Prize.

Professor Ruslan Vovk, Dean of the Faculty of Physics at Kharkiv National University named after V.N. Karazin, noted in a conversation with UJE:

“Mark Azbel’s scientific discoveries were worthy of a Nobel Prize. The faculty remembers Azbel and values his contribution to the development of science, so we decided to name one of the auditoriums after him alongside the Department of Theoretical Physics. The establishment of the Azbel Prize will help young scientists engage in promising research within our University.”

The dates considered for the award ceremony are May 12-14 — Mark Azbel’s birthday and Israel’s Independence Day.

One of the best periods in Mark Azbel’s life is associated with the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv

One of the best periods in Mark Azbel’s life is associated with the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv — his passion for physics, his first scientific successes, and academic recognition.

Mark was born into a family of doctors; his father and mother graduated from Kharkiv Medical Institute before the war. The Azbel family returned from evacuation to Kharkiv, where Mark attended school No. 36. In 1948, Mark entered Kharkiv State University and took up physics. He graduated from the University in 1953, taught mathematics at an evening school in Kharkiv, while simultaneously engaging in scientific research.

In Kharkiv, 23-year-old Azbel predicted cyclotron resonance in metals (Azbel-Kaner resonance). In 1955, under the guidance of Professor and future academician Ilya Lifshitz, he defended his candidate dissertation at the age of 25 and began working at the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology.

The great physicist and future Nobel laureate, academician Lev Landau, said during the defense of 27-year-old Azbel’s doctoral dissertation: “The only drawback of the dissertation is youth.”

The scientist refused offers to engage in the creation of new types of Soviet nuclear weapons. He became the head of the Department of the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Moscow), but in 1972 he applied for an exit from the USSR and was immediately dismissed from all positions. He was denied exit.

Azbel did not reconcile with the arbitrariness of the Soviet authorities and began to fight against the regime. For the first time in the USSR, he created a permanent international scientific seminar for scientists who were denied exit.

In April 1974, KGB head Yuri Andropov reported to the Central Committee of the CPSU about plans to disrupt Mark Azbel’s initiative — a “provocative action by Zionists,” as the KGB called the international scientific seminar. The “subversive event” of Azbel involved not only Soviet scientists who were denied exit but also outstanding scientists from around the world, including five Nobel Prize laureates in physics.

Since 1973, he lectured by phone on physics for students of Tel Aviv University.

In 1977, the KGB could no longer withstand the scientist’s resilience and allowed his exit. Mark Azbel received a chair in theoretical physics at Tel Aviv University. He was a laureate of the Israeli Landau Prize (1989) and the German Meitner-Humboldt Prize (2001) for outstanding achievements in solid-state physics.

The establishment of the Azbel Prize can be seen alongside the assistance provided by Nobel laureate in chemistry Professor Roald Hoffmann to his native city of Zolochiv in Ukraine. Saved by a Ukrainian family during the Holocaust, Hoffmann responds to Ukraine with kindness. Azbel, who overcame all the difficulties of Soviet anti-Semitism, returns to the city and University of his youth — as a reward and support for young scientists.

In one of his interviews in Israel, Professor Mark Azbel said:

“Even at sixteen, when I was finishing school [in Kharkiv], I firmly knew that I hated this system, the party, the government, the leader. And, having received an invitation to work with Kurchatov [in Moscow], I decided: I do not want to give such power what they shoot with. It was one of the reasonable actions I took in my life.”