Dear
Friends , we are approaching our next exclusive «Person of the Year 2020-2021»
contest, a vibrant, important event in our social and cultural life in which
women and men (and, in some cases, couples) who have earned recognition and
gratitude for their contributions to the betterment of our society will once
again take the podium.
Since
2002, the women's organization «Esther-a-malka» and the magazine «Women's World»
at the Congress of Bukharian Jews in the United States and Canada have held
nine «Woman of the Year» and «Man of the Year» contests, five of which were
international, in which the best representatives of communities from the United
States, Israel, Austria, and Uzbekistan were recognized.
This
time, our organization is focusing on people who are great representatives of
our ethnic group and deserve to be chosen from the general environment for
their good works in front of the people. After all, everyone knows that willing
volunteers and generous donors are very important to the growth and success of
any society (and in the case of the Bukharian community, in the development of
congresses, Jewish centers, synagogues, charitable foundations, Jewish schools,
etc.). This is especially true in the United States. And our community is no
exception. It's nice to see that many of these people are women who are not
only involved with their families and jobs (which is a lot of work in and of
itself!) but also take part in the life of their communities. «Women
are not the weaker sex», said Faina Ranevskaya. We women have
been viewed as powerful for a very long time, and we are glad about it. However,
research shows that most men are attracted to self-sufficient, intelligent, and
confident women. These ladies are all bound by two forces: a high level of
professional competence and a deep love for their family - the husband,
children, and grandchildren. At the same time, they care about their community
and country in the same way. We are also proud of our good men. These are the
men who work to improve culture and education, who care about keeping the
memories of their ancestors alive, and who, on top of all their professional
accomplishments, work for the good of the Jewish communities in America,
Vienna, and Israel.
It
is significant that this year's Person of the Year, which represents Freedom
and Dignity, will be held immediately following the Jewish People's Festival of
Freedom, Passover (at the end of the omer). Passover is more than just a
holiday; it represents not just freedom from slavery, but also freedom of
choice and the right to choose. For me, especially in the context of the
horrible war going on right now, «freedom» means having the choice to be a good
person or a bad person at every moment of life. This includes what to read,
what to watch on TV, what to listen to on the radio, and what actions to take,
what to create or destroy, and whether to help others or only think about
oneself. In a free society, it is a person's right to be able to make choices
that matter. I'm sure the world would be a better place if each of us thought
that it wasn't enough to be freed from slavery, but that we should also use our
freedom to help ourselves and those around us. Based on this, selfless service
to our congregation is the main criterion we look for in the candidates, and we
give more consideration to those who have made this choice for themselves. Such
individuals are always scarce, yet they are the pillars of our nation. And we
are happy to honor their pure intentions and good deeds, which will serve as an
example for others to follow.
To
all of you wonderful readers, best wishes for the upcoming holiday of Passover,
which celebrates independence from slavery and the right to make one's own
choices. We would like to extend an invitation to everyone to join us on June 1
for the celebration and awards ceremony of the 10th International Person of the
Year 2020-2021, as well as to join us in admiring those individuals who have
earned the distinction of becoming a laureate. This date was not chosen
randomly. June 1 is International Children's Day, and it is also a symbolic
date in these awful times for Ukrainian children.
Find
out more about the contestants in this and future issues of our magazine. As
the German philosopher F. Schelling said in his time, each of them «has chosen
a goal and a path, and sees in it the essence of life».
Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Zoya Maksumova
(April 2022, "Ladies’ World" №250)
