Ukrainian Food Flair became a best seller today!

 So thrilled to see this today! 

Thank you to my dear friend and writing mentor, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, and best-selling children's author, who spotted it and sent me the screenshot. 

Ukrainian Food Flair recipe: Old Time Potato Soup with Gravy

This recipe for Old-Time Potato Soup with Gravy calls for browned flour, which adds a unique, robust flavour to this soup. 

The bacon could be omitted to make it meatless for Lent and other fasts, and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Just fry the onions in a vegetable oil instead.

If desired, you can thin out the onion and flour mixture by adding some broth to it before adding it to the soup pot. 

From the Ukrainian Food Flair cookbook, with over 300 authentic Ukrainian recipes from Sylvia Molnar's collection. Available on Amazon here.

Available on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/gowE08x

Thoughts on doing live radio in Nanaimo

It was incredible!

It's been a long time since I felt that nervous, though. I've reached a point where I've learned to take life in stride, so not much rattles me anymore. Or so I thought!

In this day and age of social media which allows everyone their 15 minutes or seconds (or hours for that matter) of fame, you may be scratching your head over why I'm making such a big deal out of this. Especially since the conventional wisdom of the day seems to be that traditional radio has become irrelevant and is all but dead save for a few niche broadcasters keeping the medium on life support.

On that I beg to differ.

When I first took Nash Holos online I saw a lot of potential for niche broadcasters. I also saw that the window of opportunity would not stay open for long, because it would only be a matter of time before the "big guys" in the broadcasting industry would jump on the cyber-bandwagon and elbow the "little guys" (and gals) back out of the way. And at that point, I reckoned, we'd all be back to the same-old same-old as far as promoting Ukrainian culture to mainstream audiences.

Well, it looks like we've reached that point. Or OTOH, maybe there was no point to be reached. Maybe I'm the crazy one and didn't get anywhere except tired from spinning my wheels? I've often wondered about that, especially of late.

Taking Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio on live radio in Nanaimo, however, has put such thoughts right out of my mind.

Sure, the old technology of radio may be on its deathbed. The day of pushing physical buttons and levers on a mixing board may be going the way of reel-to-reel and vinyl.

Yet, speaking of the latter, vinyl has now acquired the equivalent of a cult following along with a level of cachet and status that it never had, nor could have had, when vinyl LPs were ubiquitous. There was a time when we valued them so little that we left them in the sun to warp or melt, and put coins atop needles to keep them from skipping. Those were the days!

Today technology is changing at break-neck speed, and it's forcing the entertainment and communications industries to change their delivery methods as well.

Meanwhile, it's easier than ever now to confuse the medium with the message, especially if you're on the receiving end. But it can be confusing for those of us on the sending end as well.

The messengers who can avoid the confusion will prevail, however, regardless of the medium. So to my mind, there is still opportunity in the radio biz. It may be a different window that's opening now, but it's wide open.

As for the technology, change is ineveitable of course, and I'm trying to keep up with it. But meanwhile, I consider myself veryfortunate to have this opportunity to enjoy the "good old days" of radio broadcasting technology for a little longer.

I'm not expecting my learning curve to last very long, so I hope you'll join me live in Nanaimo Wednesdays at 12 noon11am on CHLY 101.7fm ... and the new co-hosts I'll be introducing soon. If you're not in range of the signal, you can listen online or catch the podcast.

And if you don't already, please make sure to tune in to the long-standing program prepared in advance (with love!) airing Sundays Saturdays on AM1320 CHMB Vancouver (in its new time slot of 5 6pm PST).

If you do, I'd like to thank you once again from the bottom of my heart for being a loyal listener of Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio ... and in the process supporting and sharing Ukrainian culture with the world.

Podcast links for all three versions of the show are at the Nash Holos website.

–30–

 

Original Publish Date: June 7, 2012. Outdated information removed and/or noted with strikeouts. This (enjoyable for me) trip down memory lane is from 12 years ago, and foreshadows more changes coming soon.) 

Updated On: September 21, 2024

New cookbook published featuring recipes presented on Nash Holos

Over 300 recipes of Sylvia Molnar, presented on Ukrainian Food Flair for many years, are now available in a cookbook called Ukrainian Food Flair: Authentic Recipes from Canada's West Coast.  

Sylvia presented these authentic, traditional Ukrainian recipes...along with cooking tips, nutritional and historical information of ingredients used in them, and her personal experiences and reminiscences...on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio between 1995 and 2013. 

Sadly, in 2015 Sylvia passed away. This book is published as a tribute to her memory. 

Released August 2024. Link here. 

Summer Reading Round-Up — Ukrainian Jewish Heritage (Part 2)

What greater pleasure than sitting down with a good book on a lazy summer afternoon at the beach or by the pool, on a shady deck, or sprawled out on a lush green lawn! 

Some books may entertain, others inform, still other edify.  But every book enriches the mind. The mind of the reader, certainly. But also, the mind of the author – some of whom are inspired by writing a book to write others. 

On Nash Holos, through our Ukrainian Jewish Heritage series, we have been fortunate to review many intriguing and fascinating books on topics involving Jews, Ukrainians, and their interactions.  

These interactions have not always been amicable, and it is a testament to the authors for broaching controversial topics and examining them with sensitivity, empathy, and a sense of fairness.

In 2018, I compiled a list for your summer reading pleasure. Two years, and eight more books later, I did it again. 

 

Even though summer is almost over for 2024, these timeless books are great reading.

So, enjoy! 

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Dave Tarras: The King of Klezmer by Yale Strom chronicles the life and work of a Ukrainian-born man who became known as "The Benny Goodman of Klezmer." 

He was the individual most responsible for the development of a uniquely American style of Jewish klezmer music. From 1925 until his death in 1989, Dave Tarras set the standard. Well-known jazz legends such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis studied his technique. 

Yale Strom is himself an accomplished klezmer musician and historian. He is credited as a pioneer in the revival of klezmer. Strom had already published several books on the genre when by happenstance he ran into a great-grandson of Dave Tarras in New York. That encounter inspired Strom to write a biography of the iconic musician. 

Fleeing pogroms in Russian-occupied Ukraine, Tarras and his wife arrived in America in 1920. He got a job working in his brother-in-law’s fur shop because he did not think he was good enough to make a living as a musician in America. But within three years he was supporting his growing family playing his clarinet.

He would go on to become the most acclaimed klezmer musician in the United States. During his career he made hundreds of recordings, on labels such as Columbia and RCA Victor.

The book contains many touching anecdotes by family members, musical colleagues and proteges. There is newly discovered biographical material, rare photos, the musical scores of 28 of Tarras' original klezmer tunes arranged for violin and clarinet, a glossary of Yiddish terms, a bibliography, detailed footnotes and discography. Plus a copy of a handwritten note by Tarras a few years before he passed away.

Dave Tarras influenced several generations of klezmer musicians, and will no doubt continue to influence generations to come. In the 1970s Dave Tarras was "rediscovered" and came out of retirement to do one last studio recording and tour. It was a huge hit with seniors who recalled the heyday of klezmer. But it also attracted a smaller crowd of young musicians who would form the nucleus of a revival of Yiddish culture.

In 1984, Dave Tarras was honored by the National Endowment of the Arts with a National Heritage Fellowship.

On the August 24, 2018 episode of Ukrainian Jewish Heritage, I shared the story of Dave Tarras and his wonderful music, as well as this book. If you missed it, or would like to hear it again, check out our audio archive. August 24, 2018. Just search for it on our podcast feed. There’s also a link to the audio with the transcript which you can find at the Nash Holos website.

The book, Dave Tarras, The King of Klezmer by Yale Strom is available at Amazon and other booksellers.

**************************************

Jews and Ukrainians: A Millennium of Co-Existence

by Paul Robert Magocsi and Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern, is a comprehensive historical account of the relationship between Jews and ethnic Ukrainians, both in Ukraine and the diaspora.

This book attempts to fill the gap of what Jews and Ukrainians know about each other. It begins with an examination of how “Stereotypes, Perceptions and Misperceptions,” often based on blatant prejudice, cloud the relationship between Ukrainians and Jews, which goes back a thousand years.

The first Jewish settlers moved to Ukrainian lands as maritime merchants from the Mediterranean Basin. They settled in the coastal towns of the Black Sea along with Greek colonists.

During the time of Kievan Rus, Jews started arriving from central Europe and settling in central and northern Ukrainian towns. There are references to Jewish settlers in the literature of the period.

Jews and Ukrainians continued to live together in the land that is contemporary Ukraine for hundreds of years despite rule by foreign governments. By 1900, Jews made up nearly 9% of the population of modern day Ukraine, and ethnic Ukrainians 74%. Today, just .02% of Ukraine’s population is Jewish, and lives in major centres. The world of shtetls in Ukraine —with thriving Jewish communities and commerce—is forever gone.

This volume is full of intricate information, insightful historical analysis, detailed graphics and maps, as well as very relevant photographs. At times, the detail almost seems encyclopedic, but the writers manage to make each and every section relevant and readable.

Those new to Ukrainian studies will learn a great deal about Ukraine’s history and culture. Those who have studied both Ukrainian and Jewish culture will appreciate the commentary and the analysis of historical events. Researchers will definitely appreciate the extensive list of resources at the end of this book.

Magocsi and Petrovsky-Shtern have written an impressive book packed with encyclopedic detail while being as easy to read as a magazine. Jews and Ukrainians: A Millennium of Co-Existence is available at Amazon.

***********************************

Babyn Yar: History and Memory is dedicated to the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of Babyn Yar.

In September of 1941, this scenic area of forests and ravines in Kyiv, which translates into English as Grandmother’s Ravine, became a global symbol of the Holocaust. Once known as the “Switzerland of Kyiv” today Babyn Yar is synonymous with unfathomable cruelty and unprecedented loss of life.

Nearly 34,000 Kyivan Jews perished in Babyn Yar at the hands of the Nazis in late September of 1941. Over the next two years, tens of thousands more people, Jews and non-Jews, were murdered there.

The contributions to this volume are based on documentary sources and academic research.

Babyn Yar: History and Memory, is the result of the collaborative effort of scholars from various disciplines in Canada, France, Israel, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and the United States working with editors Vladyslav Hrynevych and Paul Robert Magocsi.

These scholars were compelled by the desire to inform the world about the history of one of the most terrible human tragedies, and also to underline the importance of preserving its memory.

At the center of the book of course is the history of a Nazi crime. But this history is a departure point for a deeper discussion. The book covers the politics of memory and forgetting… from the Stalinist period to the present day, and the cultural memory of Babyn Yar. Yet there is a generational aspect to the reinterpretation of this tragedy. Every generation does this in its own way—as it must. Because the past is not some construct set in stone, forever fixed in place. It is instead a dynamic phenomenon open to new discoveries.

This book examines some of these new discoveries, and the context in which they are reached. It is available in both Ukrainian and English editions. The English edition of Babyn Yar: History and Memory is available on Amazon.

*******************************************

A Journey through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter: From Antiquity to 1914, was curated and written by Alti Rodal, the Co-Director of the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter. It was originally a traveling exhibition that examined the history and interactions of these two peoples living side by side on Ukrainian lands. The panels featured texts, graphics, photographs, paintings, and maps, as well as short videos and recorded music. The exhibit travelled to four Canadian cities between May and September 2015.

In 2018, Alti Rodal expanded on the exhibit’s narrative to explore the multi-dimensional relationships between Ukrainians and Jews inhabiting the lands of today’s Ukraine.

The book is divided into two sections – “Antiquity to the Partitions of Poland” and “Two Parallel Eras – the ‘Long Nineteenth Century’ (1772-1914).” 

The first section examines the interactions of the two peoples beginning in antiquity, moving to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth period, and concluding with an examination of Hasidism and Hebrew/Yiddish publishing on Ukrainian lands. 

The issues discussed include Jewish settlement in Ukrainian lands, Ukrainian serfdom, Jewish co-operation with Polish magnates, Khmelnytsky’s uprising and the consequences for both Jews and Ukrainians, the Uman massacre, the rise of the Uniate church, and the rise of Hasidism.

The second section of this book focuses on the experience of Ukrainians and Jews in the Russian empire, as well as the Austro-Hungarian regime up to 1914. It deals with difficult topics such as the pogroms in the Russian empire; however, it also highlights trends in Ukrainian-Jewish political and civic co-operation. 

There is a focus on the cultural renaissance experienced by both Ukrainians and Jews during this period. This section concludes by examining emigration to North America.

Although this volume may be compact in size at only 169 pages, it is full of relevant information, insightful historical analysis, detailed maps and graphic elements, as well as historically significant paintings and photographs.

Readers of all ages will learn a great deal about Ukrainian and Jewish history, culture, religion, economics, and demographics in the land that is contemporary Ukraine. A Journey through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter: From Antiquity to 1914 is available free of charge from the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter in PDF and print, at their website.

***************************

Much has been written about Nazi concentration camps, but little has been written about the Nazi massacres of Jews on Ukrainian soil and the peasants who witnessed these horrific events.

Three books published in the early part of this century make a good start at beginning to fill that gap.

Two of these books were written by a Roman Catholic priest. Father Patrick Desbois has devoted his life to researching the Holocaust, fighting anti-Semitism, and furthering relations between Catholics and Jews.

The Holocaust by Bullets—A Priest’s Journey to Uncover the Truth Behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews was published in 2008. It describes how Nazi mobile killing units, called the Einsatzgruppen, murdered more than a million people in Eastern Europe during World War II. 

This book documents Father Desbois' very first efforts to uncover the truth about events in Ukraine during the years 1941-1944.

After discovering that his grandfather had been a prisoner of war and witnessed mass murders of Jews, Desbois decided he needed to seek justice for these people. He travelled through Ukraine interviewing aging witnesses who described the horrific massacre of Jews.

Desbois is a masterful writer who captures the imagination and draws readers into his experiences. His sense of justice for those who cannot speak for themselves is compelling.

A decade later, he published a sequel titled In Broad Daylight – The Secret Procedures behind the Holocaust by Bullets

It continues the gruesome narrative, explaining how Jews were killed in broad daylight with the co-operation of their non-Jewish neighbors.

In Broad Daylight—The Secret Procedures behind the Holocaust by Bullets continues this gruesome narrative based on over 4000 interviews, as well as recently released Soviet archival materials. This book explains how Jews were killed in broad daylight with the co-operation of their non-Jewish neighbors.

Desbois writes with both clarity and purpose, drawing even reluctant readers into a narrative about man’s inhumanity to man, and the process behind it.

In Broad Daylight is a very difficult book to read, but at the same time, it is an important addition to the history of the Holocaust.

Father Patrick Desbois’ two books, Holocaust by Bullets and In Broad Daylight provide a stark and very necessary reminder that we need to learn from history so that these events will never be repeated.

*************************

In his book Hitler’s Basement, Ron Vossler reveals the little known story of the Nazi murder of thousands of Jews in a region of Ukraine called Transnistria. 

Vossler’s relatives came from this area and were known as the Volksdeutsche, a German minority living outside Germany. His search for the truth about the events of these massacres, and the role of the Volksdeutsche is the core of this book.

Ron Vossler was a literature professor in North Dakota when he became interested in the murders of Jews in the Transnistria area. His relatives came from this area of Ukraine.  As a young person, he knew very little about these events because no one ever talked about them in North Dakota.  However, the Volksdeutsche culture and history were very important in the community.

After a visit to his elderly Volksdeutsche relatives in California, Vossler becomes aware of a very close family connection to a famous Nazi. At first, Vossler does not want to face his community’s connections to the Holocaust.  However, he soon becomes obsessed with learning the truth about the past.

His obsession took him on a trip to Ukraine where his research revealed not only extensive evidence of Volksdeutsche involvement in the Jewish massacres, but also, the involvement of his own family members.

Hitler’s Basement is a heart-breaking but intensely compelling book. The details are graphic, with descriptions of ovens, bone fragments, rapes, and massive shootings. There are stories of Volksdeutsche villagers sheltering Jews and saving them, but also stories of young Volksdeutsche men participating in the mass murders.

This very personal memoir is an important addition to the historical record about the open-air Holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis in Ukraine which Father Patrick Desbois wrote about.

***********************************

The Sea is Only Knee Deep is the true story of Paulina Zelitsky’s defection to Canada from the Soviet Union with her two young children in 1971. 

Paulina’s story begins in Cuba in 1968. She is part of the engineering team designing a top secret submarine base for Soviet nuclear submarines. Told in two volumes, this fascinating true-life story explores many topics including: Stalin’s final years, Fidel Castro’s Cuba, and the dangers of defecting.

Paulina does not shy away from describing the complex political realities of life in the Soviet Union. Her home city of Odessa is full of beautiful buildings and talented people. However, the constant fear of Soviet repression rules their lives. Children are forced to denounce their parents for any supposed anti-Soviet activity resulting in arrest and punishment in a Gulag prison camp. 

Beginning with her birth in 1945 in postwar Odessa, Paulina’s Jewish family is subjected to constant scrutiny by the KGB. Despite the death of her mother from Stalin’s imposed famine of 1946-1947, Paulina is an optimistic child who loves difficult tasks. Jokingly, adults tell her, “To you any sea is only knee deep.”  This Odessan motto, which is the title of the book, becomes a powerful tool in her life.

Paulina manages to keep a low profile and stay out of politics. Despite many obstacles, she skillfully uses the Soviet system to study engineering at the National Marine University of Odessa where she meets her future husband, Eduardo, a Cuban citizen. 

A few years later, they and their two children are sent to Cuba to work under the Castro regime.  As Volume 1 ends, Paulina narrowly escapes being raped by her superior who then proceeds to make life difficult for her.  She must decide whether to face the dire consequences or defect from the Soviet Union with her children. Her choice was clear, but very dangerous.

In Volume 2 of The Sea is Only Knee Deep, Paulina continues the harrowing story of her defection to Canada. She must divorce her husband Eduardo to cut her connection to Cuba. All her plans depend on travelling by air to Gander, Newfoundland.  

When she reaches Gander, she runs across the tarmac with two small children to reach safety.  After a grueling immigration process, Paulina is granted asylum in Canada.

There is a great deal of technical detail about Paulina’s top secret engineering work on the nuclear submarine base in Cuba which was the cause of the undisclosed second Cuban missile crisis beginning in 1969. Paulina also describes Cuban life during the 1960’s, and gives readers insight into Fidel Castro’s idiosyncratic leadership style.

Readers will experience the terror that Paulina experienced in her defection process as well as her precarious situation in Soviet Ukraine and later in Cuba. Her strength of character comes through clearly in her highly descriptive, candid, and clearly written autobiography.

These two self-published volumes of The Sea is Only Knee Deep by Paulina Zelitsky and her second husband Paul Weinzweig provide an interesting look at rarely discussed historical aspects of the Soviet Union, Cuba and Canada.

*****************************************

You can find the full Summer Reading List on the Nash Holos blog.

Transcripts and audio files of this and previous episodes of Ukrainian Jewish Heritage at the Nash Holos website. They’ll include links to interviews done with the authors of several of these books on separate episodes of Ukrainian Jewish Heritage.

Affiliate link disclaimer: If you make a purchase on Amazon from any of the links in this post, it will generate a small commission to Nash Holos, at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Back to School?

Back in 2008 I thought it would be fun to create a quiz based on some of Ron Cahute's tunes that I aired on the show, from his language-learning CD series Barabolya.

That idea morphed into Nash Holos Ukrainian School "classes" based on those tunes over several consecutive broadcasts of the show. Then, the final review for the final exam, which was posted online. And, of course, Graduation Day.

It was great fun.

Since then, I've been toying off and on with the idea of doing it again. The question was, how?

Way back in 2008 if you were going to learn Ukrainian at Nash Holos Ukrainian Language School, if you wanted to study in between the weekly broadcasts of the show, you had to get your own copy of the CDs (if you could find them). So the students who owned the CDs had quite an advantage. And somehow it just didn't seem fair!

Of course many graduates of Nash Holos Ukrainian Language School received their Diplomas despite any disadvanges! (And tbh possibly because of some natural advantages!)

The idea to re-open the School popped back in my head when I was on YouTube just the other day. Because I noticed that all the course curriculum is now available to virtually everyone! (Quite literally.)

Ron had just recently uploaded all the tracks from that series on to YouTube. What a wonderful surprise! To say the least, it would make studying and learning Ukrainian with them much easier now. So maybe I have my answer!

Still, I'd love listener input to get some ideas and suggestions.

On this week's edition of the Vancouver show, I take listeners down memory lane to hear the final exam review, and the commencement exercises announcing all the proud graduates from June of 2008.

If you would like to join me on that trip down memory lane—or would like to take the trip for the first time—check out the podcast of the show here. Four of his songs from different CDs are featured.

And if on that little trip you come with any ideas or suggestions about re-opening Nash Holos Ukrainian Language School, please leave a comment below.
 
Meanwhile, here's one of my favourites from the first CD of the series.

Nash Holos featured tunes for Passover 2019

This year Passover happens from sundown Friday April 19, 2019 until sundown on Saturday April 27th.

On Ukrainian Jewish Heritage, Nash Holos shares the details about the ancient traditions and rituals of Passover, as well as a litany of the difficulties Jews faced in Soviet times of religious repression to observe such important holidays as Passover.

Matzo is central to Passover, since it is unleaved bread. During Passover, Jews area forbidden to eat anything containing leaven.

Today Jews living in Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union are able to freely celebrate Passover and matzo is not nearly so difficult to come by. Which is not to say that makes the culinary choices for Jews during Passover easy by any means.

In selecting topical tunes for this week's edition of Nash Holos, I came across several delightful videos on YouTube with great audio tracks that I could share with listeners.

They include two tunes which I thought were perfect to follow the Ukrainian Jewish Heritage feature on Passover.

The first is a hilarious parody of the Irving Berlin classic "Cheek to Cheek." It is sung by Adam B. Shapiro with much different and (needless to say) much funnier lyrics!

The second is a find that was astonishing as it was delightful. It is a video recording of a live performance somewhere in Ukraine (presumably) of a man and some children singing a bilingual version of the Passover hymn Let My People Go, also known as Go Down Moses.

Here there are. Enjoy!

Baby It's Cold Outside not banned on Nash Holos

With the recent ban by several radio stations and networks of the holiday classic Baby It's Cold Outside, it's clear that political correctness has gotten out of hand. 

And as with most things that get out of hand, this one is now backfiring.

Social media sites have been flooded with caustic comments (justifiably) ridiculing this ludicrous capitulation to idiocy. 

It all started with a radio station in Cleveland that claimed, earnestly if anachronistically, that the song promotes date rape. 

Then, everyone jumped on the bandwagon.

By "everyone" I mean those who decide what gets played on the air, i.e., program directors and/or management at radio stations and at the networks. 

That is actually the crux of the matter. 

It's not bad enough that the geniuses behind the decision to ban the song are hiding behind the #MeToo movement. Now that there is a growing backlash, they're doubling down on this lame excuse in order to justify their hasty, knee-jerk decision. 

But, to no avail.

Thinking people reject the claim that the reason for the ban is that the lyrics promote violence against women. How disingenuous and hypocritical! Why no ban on the violent, misogynistic lyrics in most rap "music" (my nephew's being a rare exception) which is ubiquitous on the airwaves nowadays? (Don't even get me started on the profanity which, thanks to the pop culture industry, has almost completely displaced thoughtful, respectful discourse, in public and private.) 

So, no. There is nothing offensive about the lyrics in Baby It's Cold Outside. Especially since they were written in 1944. 

As far as I'm concerned, this banning nonsense is mostly the fault of lazy, unimaginative & wimpy decision-makers at radio stations and media networks. 

As in one of my favourite Christmas movies, it's all about "make a buck, make a buck." Do the peabrains behind the decision to ban this (or any) song figure that it will help boost their revenues? Well, who knows, maybe it will. Broadcasting is an industry in flux right now, and stranger things are happening.  

So far Baby It's Cold Outside hasn't been banned on YouTube, but if it ever gets to that, hopefully it will take a long time for them to find this delightful Ukrainian version, which recently aired (and will again) on Nash Holos. 




The controversy over the banning of Baby It's Cold Outside still rages on, even in places like Red Deer. 

So to be fair and balanced to both sides, here is an updated version which emphasizes consent.

Enjoy! 

Remembering legendary Ukrainian Canadian broadcaster Roman Brytan

Roman Andrew Brytan, born in Edmonton, AB, on December 4, 1959, passed away on November 26, 2018, at the age of 58 years. 

He will best be remembered as the voice of the Ukrainian community across Alberta, and beyond. He was a radio personality as well as a sought-after speaker and spokesman. He was regularly called upon to host and MC events—local, provincial, national and international.

Photo credit:
Park Memorial

Despite working full time in the radio industry, raising a growing family and volunteering in the Ukrainian Canadian community, Roman found (or perhaps made) time to produce and present a daily Ukrainian radio program for 35 years. His highly popular show, Radio Zhurnal, aired on CKER Radio 1480 (which later became 101.7 World FM) from March 1982 until November 2017. 

He had a rich, expressive voice and a way with words that inspired as well as informed and entertained. His was a "voice of authority" without effort on his part. It was just who he was. 

That, plus his innate kindness and generosity, made Roman a great mentor and role model to myself and other Ukrainian Canadian broadcasters. 

He was a great advocate for Ukrainian radio broadcasting in Canada and a consummate professional. In the early days of Nash Holos, back in the 1990s before the internet, he even faxed us news stories from his station's wire services, week in and week out. Just so that we could present the most professional show possible.

As the years went by, he continued to help anyone he could, any way he could. For over a decade, he freely shared his knowledge and resources with a group of us in a private email group. 

He shared new songs that came his way, interviews and information, and other material for our shows. Occasionally, he'd throw out comments just for discussion or "food for thought." He was generous with his wisdom and shrewd insights into politics and other matters. His practical advice always proved invaluable. I always felt enriched, encouraged, and empowered after a conversation with him.

Roman had a really dry sense of humour, and a very sharp wit. Not much got past him. He never gossiped, yet managed to impart his opinion about people, circumstances, and situations elegantly, and clearly. 

A pragmatist, but also a perfectionist in his work, Roman set a high standard for those of us who looked up to him for guidance and inspiration in our own broadcasting endeavours. 

Roman Brytan will be sorely missed, not just as a colleague but also as a friend. 

His funeral was held on December 5, 2018 at Exaltation of the Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edmonton, with interment in St. Michael's Cemetery. 

His obituary was published in the Edmonton Journal (link here). Photos, memories and condolences may be shared through www.parkmemorial.com.

Вічная пам`ять! May his memory be eternal.

Ukrainian recipe: Remembrance Borsch (with yellow beets)

This recipe originated with Ukrainians in the United States. By the early 2000s it was becoming part of their Thanksgiving tradition.

This yellow-coloured borsch was intended to be served as the first course of Thanksgiving Day dinner. 

Since then, however, the Saturday after American Thanksgiving (i.e., the fourth Saturday in November) has become an official day of remembrance to commemorate Holodomor. 

This sad commemoration has created a very appropriate, and dedicated, occasion to serve this symbolic dish.

The borsch is always accompanied by a moment of silence. 

This moment of silence is in remembrance of the millions of Ukrainians who died in the Holodomor famine-genocide of 1932-33 and the following Years of Terror at the hands of soviet communists. 

As well, in remembrance and gratitude for those who survived, and for the family's own abundance today. 

The recipe is patterned after the meatless borsch served at Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner, Sviat Vechir. It varies from family to family, but the one constant is the substitution of yellow beets for the red.

Yellow (also called golden) beets give the broth a golden colour. Yellow is a colour often related to mourning in Ukrainian culture.

To make Remembrance Borsch, start with a mushroom broth. If you can get them, used dried mushroom caps imported from Poland. (These are the closest to those that used to come from Ukraine before Chornobyl.) Otherwise, use a combination of Italian porcinis, Japanese shiitakes, or other flavourful species.

Soak dried mushrooms several hours or overnight. Wash carefully to get rid of any bits of sand or dirt. Strain the dark water through a coffee filter and add it to the salted cooking water for the washed mushrooms. Let it simmer several hours, adding more boiling water as needed.

If you’re pressed for time, the ready-made mushroom broth now available in supermarkets or delis will do.

To the broth, add chopped or shredded beets, chopped potato, carrot, onion, mushrooms, dillweed, a bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. There are no rules, other than using ingredients that even the poorest peasant would have in his or her bit of garden.

Add your favourite vushka (mushroom-stuffed mini perogie-like dumplings), sprinkle with chopped fresh dill.

If you can’t find yellow beets, use a combination of white turnips and a parsnip (for sweetness). Colour the broth with a few strands of saffron, a pinch of turmeric, or as a last resort, a few drops of yellow food colouring.

If you don’t have the time or skill to make vushka, dried mushroom-filled Italian tortellini are a reasonable facsimile.

Don’t skimp on the fresh dill. (Make sure to use fresh, not dried dill weed or dill seed.) Most supermarkets carry fresh dill year round. As well, it can be chopped and frozen fresh for use later.

Whether or not you are celebrating American Thanksgiving, this is an excellent symbolic borsch to serve during Holodomor Remembrance week wherever you are in the world.

This recipe and the accompanying information came by email from Peter Borisow, of the Hollywood Trident Foundation. 

It has been presented on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio by Judy Hrynenko (here) and the late Sylvia Molnar (here). These features have aired every November for the past several years in honour of Holodomor Remembrance. 

Please feel free to incorporate this ritual dish into your American Thanksgiving and/or Holodomor commenorations, and share the story with others. 

If you would like a proper recipe for Remembrance Borsch, with proportions, I have shared one which was adapted from my award-winning entry in the 2015 Borsch Competition in Victoria. Story and recipe here. 

My Excellent Adventure at the 2015 Borsch Fest in Victoria

Had a wonderful time at the 2015 Borsch Fest in Victoria, BC on Saturday, November 07!

One of the organizers, Maria Koropecky (who was interviewed on the Nov. 4 edition of Nash Holos) challenged me to enter the competition, so I did.

I was honoured (and, quite frankly, astounded) that my entry won the People's Choice Award ... and also Judges' Honourable Mention.

Came home with a cash prize (which covered the cost of ingredients and gas for the drive down to Victoria) for the People's Choice Award. For the Honourable Mention, I received a copy of a great cookbook by one of the judges, Cinda Chavich, The Waste Not, Want Not Cookbook: Save Food, Save Money, and Save the Planet.

The theme of this book is especially poignant, as Ukrainians tend to abhor wasting food, given how often throughout history, especially during the soviet era, it was denied them.

Along with Cinda, the other judges were Lee Aitchison,Hospitality Management Instructor at Camosun College; and Michael Tymchuk, producer of CBC's food show The Main Ingredient.

The borsch I entered was not the typical beet red that most people associate with borsch. That's because it was made with yellow (golden) beets.

It's called Remembrance Borsch, in honour of the Holodomor, the soviet-engineered famine that deliberately starved to death 7-10 million Ukrainians in 1932-33.

The colour yellow is symbolic of mourning in Ukrainian tradition, so that's why this borsch is made with yellow beets. 
  
I've been sharing the story of Remembrance Borsch with listeners of Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio for several years now. If you're not familiar with it, and would like to be, check out this blog post.

For anyone who tasted my Remembrance Borsch at the Borsch Fest and would like to try making it, I am very sorry but there is no recipe proper (as in with proportions). And I am unlikely to ever reproduce the batch I made (with the help of my friend Gerri) as I didn't keep track of the proportions I used.

However, I will share what I remember, to the best of my abillity. The rest is up to you. Which is kind of fitting, because by nature Ukrainians are very individualistic and independent ... and that is in large part why the Soviets tried to wipe them out, by starvation and other gruesome methods.

November is Holodomor Remembrance Month, and the last Saturday of November is set aside as Holodomor Remembrance Day. At sunset, candles are lit in remembrance of those who perished in this heinous, man-made famine. To me, it's very important to make this borsch and remember the millions of innocent victims, so that never again will human beings be starved by the millions merely to promote an ideology. 

This recipe for Remembrance Borsch should create a reasonable facsimile of the one I made for Borsch Fest.

8-10 cups shredded or diced yellow beets
5-6 cups shredded cabbage
3 cups finely chopped onion
1-2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
6 cups diced potatoes
5 cups diced rutabaga
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups chopped fresh dill
1/4 lb. butter
3 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp black pepper
3 litres mushroom broth
1-2 litres beetroot broth
2-3 Tbsp lemon or lime juice

Saute the mushrooms, onion, half the cabbage, and half the dill in butter until the veggies are a nice golden colour.

Put them in a large stock pot, along with the liquids, seasonings, and the rest of the veggies, except for the beets. Simmer until the potaotes and rutabaga are soft, about 1/2 hour.

Add the shredded beets, and gently simmer for about 1/2 hour.

NB: Make sure the borsch does NOT boil vigorously. Borsch should never be boiled. It makes the beets lose their colour and just does something to the taste that is less than desirable. Keep it at a gentle simmer.

This will make a huge stock pot full, about 10-12 litres, so you might want to cut the ingredients in half. 

A tip for preparing the beets for borsch, especially using red beets: Scrub really well, trim off any blemishes, and put them to simmer, with the skin on. When soft, drain the beets and cool. Reserve the liquid. This will be your beetroot broth. When beets are cool, peel and shred. Adding the beets at the end will keep the beets from going white, so your borsch will have a nice, rich colour.

I hope that some day serving this yellow borsch to commemorate Holodomor Remembrance Day will be part of Ukrainian tradition. We should never forget.

If you decide to try it, I'd love to hear how yours turned out.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the 2nd Annual Borsch Fest in Victoria.

If you're interested in Cinda's cookbook, you can get it here:

Hava Nagila - Jewish song with Ukrainian roots

This week's Ukrainian Jewish Heritage topic is Hava Nagila, the song, the story and the movie.

While looking into the Ukrainian connection to this ubiquitous Jewish standard, I came across a documentary film about the song, called Hava Nagila (The Movie).

I contacted the production company in Los Angeles, and they kindly allowed me to screen it for review.

In this week's Ukrainian Jewish Heritage episode, I described my search and reviewed the movie.  You can read and listen to it here.

I also went one step past where the movie ends the story—YouTube. It seemed to me that in terms of  storytelling technique, ending the story of Hava Nagila at YouTube was leaving the story unfinished. A hanging thread.

In the course of producing this series and presenting some of the episodes, I discovered that much work is being done to restore what is left of Ukraine's Jewish communities destroyed by the Nazis and Soviets in the last century.

So I thought I would check to see how popular Hava Nagila is today in its ancestral birthplace.

Very popular, it seems!

Do a google search for Hava Nagila Ukraine and you'll be amazed at what pops up!

I can save you a bit of time by starting you out with a few that I found. Enjoy!

Dnipro 2017;



Kyiv 2010

Vinnytsia-Ukraine December 2013

Students in Kharkiv



In Czernowitz



Poltava 2017



ManSound in Israel 2012



Ukrainian musicians in Paris subway 


Dnieper cruiseship lounge 2012