On October 3-6, 2018 a seminar-conference "The Pearls of Yiddish Culture" for teachers of Jewish schools and kindergartens, as well as employees of other Jewish educational, research, public and art institutions of Ukraine, was held in Kiev.

The event was co-sponsored by the International Yiddish Center at the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish Forum of Ukraine. Its program was specially designed for those who had participated in previous WJC YC sessions and decided to forward their Yiddish language & culture studies.

The classes were conducted by top-rank specialists from Israel: the WJC YC academic director, Dr. Mordechay Yushkovsky, the theatrical expert Dr. Leonid Roytman from the Sholem Aleichem House, and the singer & musical pedagogue Marina Yakubovich (laureate of the Grand Prix for performing Yiddish songs at the Mikhoels festival in Moscow).

The audience came from such Ukrainian cities as Kiev, Vinnitsya, Chernivtsi, Poltava, Odessa, Bila Tserkva and Brovary, as well as from Tula, Russia.

Dr. Yushkovsky delivered lectures on such topics as: "Between sickle and hammer. Chapters from the history of Jewish culture in the USSR"; "Itzkhak Bashevis-Zinger – the virtuoso of story-telling in Yiddish"; "Itzik Manger - the poet of flight, stars and wind."

Dr. Roytman provided the following talks: "The brilliant life and the tragic end of the Jewish king Lear. 70 years since the murder of Mikhoels"; "Eretz Israel and Zionist motifs in Sholem Aleichem's creation"; "History of the Chernivtsi Yiddish Theater".

Marina Yakubovich conducted master classes and workshops on Hasidic melodies, folk songs, as well as songs with verses of classical poets.

The program was crowned with a choir of participants singing in Yiddish under Marina's smart guidance.

In addition, each participant delivered an individual presentation - a report on the activities in the domain of Yiddish culture, which he/she carries on in his/her locality or institution.