Rhoda Harrison's Blog: CJE Odessa Mini-Mission: Reflections Day 3

Day 3 of our Mini-Mission. Our itinerary for the day started with a visit to the World ORT School #94, the only fully inclusive Jewish school in Odessa, then continued with visits to the Beit Grand JCC, the Mazl Tov Early Childhood Development Center, and the Migdal JCC. It was an impressive and packed day to say the least. Perhaps my pictures will convey the incredible and expansive range of quality programming, education and services that are provided by these organizations to the Jewish community in Odessa. Not only was the broad scope of offerings surprising, to me at least, but the quality of instruction and high level of engagement among students and clients of all ages was remarkable. At the ORT school we observed impressive robotics and Hebrew classes. At the JCCs, we were invited into pottery, dance, and music classes as well as various social clubs for seniors. Clients served included kids, teens, special needs adults, parents, senior citizens, and holocaust survivors. There is no question that there is incredible need in the community, but there is an equally incredible eagerness to be engaged in substantive, quality programming. One thing was particularly striking was the level of Jewish programming at each of the JCCs. While in Baltimore we strive to “put the J back in the JCC;” in Odessa, there is an ardent readiness - primed by decades of Communist rule, of course - for Jewish content.

On Wednesday, we also found time to explore Odessa on foot. Did I mention it was a really packed day? It was fascinating to see remnants of the period when at least 40% of the population was Jewish and the city was called home by such luminary figures in Jewish literary history as Chaim Bialik, Shalom Aleichem, Zev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky, and Isaac Babel. It was clear from our tour of the city that despite continued anti-Semitism, at the very least great pride in Odessa’s history as a Jewish City remains. I’d be curious to learn more about how the non-Jewish community in Odessa feels about the revitalization efforts of the Jewish community happening now. How is the Jewish community generally perceived beyond the Jewish communal institutions we visited? It is one thing to reflect on a historical legacy. It is quite another to be open to the religious and cultural expression of a possibly growing minority group.

Odessa is a beautiful city that at least from my point of view reflected incredible contradictions. Stunning and ornate architecture from earlier periods in history (such as Odessa’s grand Opera House) and one of the largest and busiest ports along the Black Sea basin offer dissonant backdrops to the level of economic and physical need we witnessed.

A lovely mosaic from the floor of the Hotel Bristol's restaurant where we enjoyed a hearty breakfast each morning.