All 700 spaces sold-out in 2 days.

In the small western Ukrainian village of Sydorovychi, where Nehamia Rubitzov (subsequently Rabin), was born, a special commemorative event was held today (November 4th) by Limmud FSU marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Among participants was the distinguished journalist and columnist Eitan Haber, who was Rabin’s head of bureau and spokesman, who delivered the dramatic announcement of the assassination on November 4, 1995. In March 2010, Limmud FSU inaugurated a memorial in the village to the slain prime minister.

The Sydorovychi event is a prelude to the opening tomorrow of Limmud FSU’s conference in Liviv. During the three-day event, like all Limmud FSU events entirely planned and run by young local volunteers, the participants will have the choice of more than 150 lectures, presentations, discussions, master-classes, workshops and study groups on many different subjects, from Jewish history, prose and poetry, theater and dance, Yiddish and Hebrew languages, the Middle East and the Israel-Arab conflict, musical performances and much more, all planned to widen their Jewish knowledge, pride and identity. A talk will be given by Eitan Haber on “The Effect of the Murder of Rabin on the Political and Social Life of Israel.”

Among the guests and speakers will be Andriy Sadovyi, the Mayor of Lviv, Eliav Belotserkovsky, the ambassador of Israel in Ukraine, Oleg Vyasniakov, a businessman and honorary consul of Israel in Western Ukraine, as well as prominent members of the local government and the Jewish community of the Lviv region.

The closing gala event will feature a unique performance of Yiddish jazz with the Russian rock star Andrei Makarevich, who recently received Israeli citizenship.

Speaking to eJP on the eve of the conference, Chaim Chesler, the founder of Limmud FSU, said:  “This, our second event in Lviv, reflects the exponential growth in our activities. The fact that this conference was oversubscribed just days after registration began, proves that our formula of education, culture, entertainment and the opportunity for dialogue and debate among the young participants, makes our events unique on the Jewish cultural scene.”