Ukraine’s Jewish community has a rich history: here were the first shtetls, built by Jews working for Polish aristocrats in the 18th century; it is here that Hasidism had its origins; and it is here that classic Yiddish-language literature began to develop. Moreover, Ukraine has one of the largest numbers of Jewish heritage sites of any European country: some 1,500 have been identified with the true number likely running into the thousands.
The development of the Ukrainian Route of Jewish Heritage will begin in Western Ukraine, highlighting the life of Jews in the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, and Chernivsti Oblasts.