Rabbi Jonathan Benyamin Markovitch (Ukrainian: Йонатан Бін'ямін Маркович; born 21 October 1967) is the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv[1], the principal Chabad emissary in the city[2], and the Rabbi of Ukraine's prison system.
Biography
Rabbi Markovitch was born in 1967 in Uzhhorod (Ukraine),[citation needed] into a rabbinic family. His maternal grandfather, Rabbi Yechezkel Feivel Oestreicher, served as a rabbi and shochet in the city.
At the age of three, his family immigrated to Israel. During his youth, he studied at a Chabad Talmud Torah and later attended the ChabadYeshiva in Kiryat Gat. He continued his studies at the Kfar Ganim Yeshiva under Rabbi Zucker.[3]
In 1985, Rabbi Markovitch enlisted in the Israeli Air Force, where he served for 12 years as an aircrew officer[4], achieving the rank of major[5] before being discharged.
He received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the Chief Military Rabbinate, Rabbi Eliyahu Abergel, and several prominent Chabad Rabbis, including Rabbi Levi Bistritzky of Zefat and Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yeruslavsky.
In addition to his Torah studies, Rabbi Markovitch holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the Technion in Haifa and a master's degree in education from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Chief Rabbi of Kyiv
Markovitch, Jonathan Benyamin, Rabbi
In 2000, Rabbi Markovitch and his family moved to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, where they established educational institutions and organized community events for the Jewish population.
After being appointed as the Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and the leading Chabad emissary[6], he, together with his wife, developed a vibrant Jewish community that includes a Chabad center, a kindergarten, and a private Jewish school (Perlina[7]). They also established a specialized kindergarten for children with disabilities, open to both Jews and non-Jews, a kosher certification system, youth programs, an Israeli Chabad center, and a comprehensive humanitarian aid network. This network distributes food, clothing, and medicine to thousands of elderly and needy individuals throughout the year.
In early 2023, Rabbi Markovitch was officially appointed as the Rabbi of Ukraine's prison system[8].
During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, he supported Ukraine’s lockdown measures and expressed his views on national television.
The Russia's War against Ukraine
During the war, Rabbi Markovitch engaged in humanitarian activities for the Jewish community and Kyiv residents at large.
In the winter of 2023, amid power outages and heating shortages, he relocated hundreds of elderly residents from Kyiv to a temporary shelter in the Jewish community of Poland. He also engaged in informal diplomatic efforts in Western countries to secure continued support and supplies for Ukraine.
Following the outbreak of Israel’s Operation “Iron Swords,” Rabbi Markovitch assisted Ukrainian citizens caught in conflict zones, an effort acknowledged by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a public speech. He initiated the “Garden of Hope”[9] project in Kyiv to raise awareness of Ukrainian prisoners of war and Israeli hostages in Gaza and Ukrainian prisoners of war. Additionally, the Kyiv Jewish community donated tablets to children with special needs in southern Israel[10].
Honors and Recognition
Rabbi Markovitch has received numerous accolades[11], including:
- Presidential Medal[12] and Parliamentary Medal for significant contributions to Ukraine.
- Honorary recognition from the European Union[13].
- The Medal of Honor from the Ukrainian Bar Association in 2018.
In 2024, marking 30 years since the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s passing, Rabbi Markovitch and his son, Rabbi Ariel Markovitch, spearheaded the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp by the Ukrainian Postal Service[16].
At the onset of the Ukraine war, Rabbi Markovitch initiated the writing of a Torah scroll in honor of Ukraine’s Jewish community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated[17] by inscribing a letter in the Torah while in his presidential bunker. Following the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, the Torah scroll became a symbol uniting Ukrainian Jewry with the State of Israel[18].
Rabbi Markovitch collaborates with the Ukrainian government and international organizations in combating antisemitism in Ukraine.
Family
Rabbi Markovitch is married to Rebbetzin Elke Ina Markovitch, who manages the “Or Avner” network of institutions in Kyiv, established with the assistance of Lev Leviev. The network includes kindergartens and schools, as well as a specialized program for children with autism.
