About this talk

Belarus' Jewish story is rich, vital, traumatic, fascinating, and barely spoken of. The modern country of Belarus can trace much of its early history to Slavic peoples who settled in the area during the early Middle Ages. The territory was ruled at different times by Lithuania, Poland, and Russia. It was invaded by Nazis in 1941 during World War II. After the war, with redefined borders, it continued as part of the Soviet Union until 1991.

This talk will provide a snapshot of the history of the Jewish people of Belarus, explore the legacy of the Belarusian Jewish community today, and offer insight into the Jewish Cultural Heritage Trail, a project developed by The Together Plan Charity.

Learn from Jewish activists who are offering support, training, and aid to Belarusian communities today to help them become self-sustaining. again.

About Debra and Artur

Debra Brunner is originally from London and has been working in Belarus for over ten years. She is a passionate advocate for Jewish community, history, heritage and identity. Debra has worked tirelessly to grow The Together Plan in order to give agency to Jewish people coming out of a traumatic past, to empower them and give them skills and self-belief to rebuild and revive. It is Debra's mantra that together we can make a real and positive difference for a better, stronger and more cohesive Jewish landscape in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Artur Livshyts was born in Minsk and spent two years living with a relative in Nashville, Tennessee. It was there, as a child of the Soviet Union, that he discovered Judaism; he studied Hebrew and had a bar mitzvah. It was his first foray into Jewish life. He spent a year living in a boarding school in Israel before returning to Belarus where he completed his education in Minsk, studying Human Rights Law. Having had a taste of Jewish life, he has made it his life's work to strive for a revival of the Jewish community in Belarus. He met Debra Brunner in 2009 and together, since that time, they have worked to build and grow The Together Plan.