With 900 strong in attendance, this past weekend saw a sold-out 4 day Limmud FSU conference in the Western Ukraine city of Lviv. The conference – marking a decade of Limmud FSU activity in Ukraine – also welcomed senior representatives of the most important Ukrainian Zionist Youth Movements: Beitar, Bnei Akiva, Hanoar Haoved Ve Halomed and Hashomer Hatzair. Two of them, Hashomer Hatzair and Bnei Akiva have deep roots and an extensive history in Lviv.

The main headquarters of Bnei Akiva, which are in the area of the Eastern Galicia, were first opened in Lviv in 1930. All the conferences of the movement were held in the city and was also the place where Hashomer Hatzair was first named. Lviv hosted the most important meetings of that movement’s leadership, where its main offices were located.

“Lviv is one of the most important cities in the Jewish history, and in particular in the Zionist history because of its deep relation to the Zionist Youth movements and the founders of the State of Israel,” said Chaim Chesler, founder of Limmud FSU. “We are more than proud to have held the 10th Limmud FSU Ukraine anniversary event in Lviv, which, against all odds, remains today a home for the members of its Jewish community.”

For the second year, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovoy attended the event’s closing ceremony. Recognizing Limmud FSU’s supporters, Sadovoy said:  “The greatness of Limmud FSU is its ability to gather different people together, make them think, work and cooperate, and even more important – to find together innovative ways to make our world a better place,” The ceremony also featured a concert at the Lviv Opera House by the Tel Aviv-based band Los Caparos.

Limmud FSU Lviv was made possible by a devoted team of volunteers along with the generous support of  the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress; Nativ; Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter; and the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund.