Chanukah youth activity for new arrivals from Ukraine and Russia
The National Library of Israel hosted 50 young persons who recently arrived from Ukraine and Russia for a “Winter Art Lab”.
The group Photo: Rachel Neiman
This in-person program for aged 12-20-year-olds ran from December 20-22, 2022, at the Library in Jerusalem and culminated with a closing event at the Library in Jerusalem.
Throughout the three days, the young people were guided through a process of documenting and recording their own experiences of Aliya, immigration, and displacement through art – all supported by the NLI team and referencing the Library’s extensive collections.
The Art Lab consisted of six different workshops where participants related their stories, wrote letters to their future selves, learned about archives in the NLI, held group discussions, and participated in musical, theatre, audio and video recording, drawing, and other creative workshops.
NLI’s activities with Ukrainian and Russian youth is in cooperation with Wild Walks (https://dikieprogulki.org/) and supported by Gesher L’Europa – Bridging the NLI with Europe .
Since May 2022, the National Library of Israel – in partnership with Wild Works – has been hosting refugee and new olim youth from Ukraine and Russia for weekly specially tailored activities, which give them a safe space to express their experiences of the recent traumatic months of displacement and adjustment. Led by Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking NLI staff, these activities have grown from a few individuals to a community of 60 young people.
On the final day yesterday, the participants presented their diaries and creations in a moving performance before the audience of families and friends that provided a window into their experience of Aliya and immigration through art and theatre.
