A competition for the 2025 Sholom Aleichem Prize has been announced in Ukraine: supporting cultural ties between Ukraine and the Jewish people

This prestigious prize is awarded annually in March, on the birthday of the famous writer, and is aimed at encouraging the best literary and artistic works that help strengthen cultural ties between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples.

Applications for participation in the competition can be submitted by both individual authors and teams that have published their original works in completed form in the last three years. However, works that have already received other prizes or state awards cannot be nominated. Among the applicants may be writers, translators, screenwriters and playwrights, whose works should help popularize the cultural heritage of Ukraine and the Jewish people.

You can find out more details at the link – https://arts.gov.ua/konkurs-na-zdobuttya-premiyi-imeni-sholom-alejhema-u-2025-roczi/

Particular attention is paid to ensuring that the presented works help to form a positive image of Ukraine in the world. It is important that works must be completed and published no later than a month before submitting an application for the competition, which allows authors to submit their work in a timely manner. The monetary award is 20,000 hryvnia, which is a symbolic recognition of the author’s contribution to the cultural development of Ukraine.

Proposals for participation in the competition can be submitted by creative unions, literary associations, national educational societies, editorial offices of periodicals and publishing houses. Individual authors can also nominate their own work. Applications are accepted until November 1, 2024. The competition is held on a competitive basis, and the laureates are determined by a special committee that carefully studies all submitted works.

Sholom Aleichem Prize was established in 2009 and since then has been awarded annually for contributions to the development of cultural ties between the Ukrainian and Jewish peoples, as well as for promoting the popularization of Ukrainian culture in the world. It is important for the literary and artistic community of Ukraine, supporting authors who work at the intersection of cultures and contribute to the spiritual enrichment of society.

The awarding of the prize in March, on the birthday of Sholom Aleichem, emphasizes not only the memory of the great writer, but also the importance of preserving his legacy, which unites peoples and cultures.

Sholom Aleichem (שלום־עליכם‎), whose real name is Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, was born on February 18, 1859 in Pereyaslav, now in the territory of Ukraine. He became one of the most important writers and playwrights of Jewish literature, laying the foundation for modern Yiddish literary expression.

The writer spent his childhood in the small town of Voronkovo, Poltava province, where he studied at Khederi, a primary Jewish school. Later, thanks to the influence of Jewish educational literature, he began to study general education and continued his studies at a local school. The life and work of Sholom Aleichem are inextricably linked with Ukraine, which is reflected in his works, in which he raised topics that were relevant for his time.

Since his death on May 13, 1916, in New York City, his legacy has been actively researched and celebrated. In 1978, a museum dedicated to his memory was opened in Pereyaslav, which is located on the territory of the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life. In 1997, a monument to Sholom Aleichem was erected in Kyiv, and in 2009, an apartment museum was opened in the capital of Ukraine.

Sholom Aleichem is immortalized not only in monuments and museums: streets are named after him in many Ukrainian cities, such as Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkov and Dnieper. In 2007, it was decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the writer’s birth, and in 2020 a new sculptural composition in his honor was unveiled in the Biel Church. Additionally, Mercury has a crater named after him, highlighting his significance not only in literature, but in culture as a whole.

These facts highlight Sholom Aleichem's contribution to Jewish literature and his influence on the cultural heritage of Ukraine.

Sholom Aleichem is one of the most famous Yiddish writers, and his work includes many famous works. Among the most famous:

1. Tevye the Dairyman is perhaps the author’s most famous work, telling about the life of the Jewish milkman Tevye and his struggles in pre-revolutionary Russia. This story formed the basis of the famous musical Fiddler on the Roof.
2. “Tales of the Jewish People” – a collection of stories in which he uses folklore elements and conveys the spirit of Jewish culture and traditions.
3. “The World in the Future” is a work in which Sholom Aleichem reflects on the future of the Jewish people and social changes in society.
4. “Sholom Aleichem – Memoirs” – an autobiographical work in which the writer shares his thoughts and impressions about life and literature.

Sholom Aleichem used humor and irony in his works, which made them accessible and understandable to a wide range of readers. His work not only reflects the life of the Jewish people, but also touches on universal themes such as family, tradition and identity.