INSIGHT

Ukrainians

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I

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42

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1991

day morning Ukrainian-
language school.
Mr. Berezowsky, also born
in Europe immediately
following World War II,
senses that Ukrainian-
Americans may lose some of
their edge because of the
dawning of Ukrainian in-
dependence. The protracted
fight for independence yield-
ed unforseen benefits, like
strong community cohesion.
But will that cohesion hold
fast against the complacency
of political success?
"In a way, it may become
more difficult to maintain
our community," Mr.
Berezowsky said.
The problem, says Mr.
Potapenko, is a uniquely
American one. On the one
hand, American sensibilities
teach us to fight for what's
right. At the same time,
those sensibilities do not
lead to a sustained interest
in the causes we fight for.
"This society loves to sup-
port the underdog. But it
doesn't necessarily want to
identify with it," he said.
Like Ukrainian-
Americans, Jews in this
country have exercised their
democratic rights — at the
same time as resisting the
need to pick up and move to
the motherland for which
they fight.
"The beauty and blessing
of this country is that one
can retain one's ethnicity
and still call oneself an
American," said Jeannie
Weiner, president of
Detroit's Jewish Community
Council.
"The ability to speak
vociferously comes from
American safety," she said.
The difference in national
sensibilities often yields dis-
appointment and frustra-
tion, said Mrs. Weiner. Re-
cent debates over "who is a
Jew" and Jonathan
Pollard's spy trial only exac-
erbated relationships bet-
ween Israelis and American
Jews. Are similar scenarios
in store for Ukrainian-
Americans?
"Whether or not we suc-
ceed in maintaining our
identity won't be as impor-
tant to the Ukraine," said
Mr. Berezowsky, the lawyer.
"We must be concerned for
our own benefit."
Similarly, Israel does not
always empathize with the
concerns of American Jews.
"Ethnic groups should not
be afraid to press their
agenda," said Mrs. Weiner.
But when dealing with
Israel, "sometimes they
don't understand why we
devote ourselves to certain
efforts."
The struggle, Mr.

Potapenko said, is to help
the motherland without
offending it. Advice, con-
sulting and financial assis-
tance will be provided. But
today's Ukrainian-
Americans will not do what
Chicago's Ukrainian-
Americans did in the 1930s,
when war between the
Ukraine, Nazi Germany and
the Soviet Union seemed
imminent.
Chicagoans bought,
disassembled and shipped
five American-made fighter
planes to Ukrainian
resistance forces. The planes
made it as far as American
borders.
With the focus on assis-
tance, not resettlement,
Ukrainian-Americans not

"To some extent,
all ethnic groups
depend for their
sustenance on
their mother
country."

Eileen Sobel

only have begun to resemble
the Jewish community, but
to admire it.
"We have always been
great admirers of the Jewish
community," said Mr.
Potapenko. "We see how
united they are. Can't we
aspire to an equal contribu-
tion to our homeland?"
And like Jews in the
Diaspora, Ukrainian-
Americans had to create a
sense of national identity
without a nation. Fighting
cultural and religious
assimilation, the organized
community fought to retain =(
a language and a sense of
communal unity against the
tide of each passing genera-
tion. It is a peculiarly
American experience.
"In a melting pot society,
healthy xenophobia — a
ghetto mentality —is not all
negative," said Mr.
Potapenko. "It's self-
preservation."
Like American Jews,
Ukrainians here see their
motherland's independence
not only as a dream fulfilled,
but as a source of communal
lifeblood.
And yet, Mr. Potapenko
realizes that with the dawn-
ing of a free Ukraine, the
cultural experience of
Ukrainian-Americans may
be weakened. Where, once
independence is realized,
will ethnic self-justification
come from?
"We should stay together
because it is a source of pride
and advantage," said Mr.
Potapenko. "It's a lot more