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Vadim RabinovichPresident of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, Vice-President of the European Jewish Union
Date of Birth: 04.08.1953
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Biography of Vadim Rabinovich
- Legal Troubles and Imprisonment
- Business Ventures
- Political Career
- Media Activities
- Philanthropy and Community Involvement
- Personal Life and Citizenship
Biography of Vadim Rabinovich
Early Life and EducationVadim Rabinovich was born on February 6, 1953, in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. In 1970, he graduated from School No. 45 in Kharkiv and enrolled in the Kharkiv Highway Institute. However, he was expelled from the institute in 1974 due to "immoral behavior" and was subsequently excluded from the Komsomol. Rabinovich served in the Soviet Army's Air Defense Forces from 1975 to 1977.
Legal Troubles and Imprisonment
In January 1980, Rabinovich was arrested on charges of embezzlement of state funds. After spending nine months in custody, he was released. However, he was arrested again in early 1982 on similar charges. In February 1984, he was sentenced to 14 years in a high-security correctional labor camp with property confiscation and a five-year ban on professional activities. During his imprisonment, Rabinovich pretended to be mentally ill and underwent multiple psychiatric examinations. It was during this time that he was recruited by the KGB as an informant under the codename "Zhelyud." Rabinovich claimed that he only pretended to provide information to the KGB.
Business Ventures
After his release, Rabinovich, together with his former prison colleague Andrey Alyoshin, founded the company "Pinta" and engaged in metal trading. In the fall of 1993, Rabinovich became the representative of the Austrian company "Nordex" in Ukraine. He also formed the company "Media International Group" in 1994, which included the publishing house "CN-Stolichnye Novosti" and the newspaper "MIGnews." In 1995, he co-founded the television channel "1+1" along with Alexander Rodnyansky and Boris Fuchsman.
Political Career
Rabinovich ran as a self-nominated candidate for the presidency of Ukraine in 2014, receiving 2.5% of the votes. He later became a member of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, representing the "Opposition Bloc" party. Rabinovich played an active role in human rights issues and served as the secretary and head of the subcommittee on human rights of the Rada's Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities, and Interethnic Relations. In July 2016, Rabinovich broke ties with the "Opposition Bloc" and formed the party "For Life" with former members of the bloc. He remained a member of the "Opposition Bloc" faction to retain his parliamentary mandate. In November 2018, Rabinovich announced that his party had been renamed "Opposition Platform - For Life" and would participate in parliamentary elections.
Media Activities
Rabinovich has been involved in various media ventures throughout his career. He founded the publishing house "CN-Stolichnye Novosti" in 1998 and established the company "Media International Group" in 2000. The holdings of MIG included newspapers, radio stations, TV channels, and internet sites in Ukraine, Russia, and Israel. Rabinovich was also a co-owner of the international Jewish news television channel "Jewish News One" from 2011 to 2014. In 2013, he launched the media group "NewsNetwork," which he later sold in 2014. Rabinovich continues to be an active figure in the media industry.
Philanthropy and Community Involvement
Rabinovich has been actively involved in supporting Jewish charitable organizations and promoting interfaith harmony. He has served as the president of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress since 1997 and co-chaired the European Jewish Parliament since 2011. Rabinovich has made significant donations to the Institute of the Temple in Jerusalem, including a 800kg gold menorah. He has also been recognized for his contributions to spirituality and community development by receiving prestigious awards from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and other organizations.
Personal Life and Citizenship
In 1994, Rabinovich and his family repatriated to Israel and became citizens of the country. He took the name David during the naturalization process. Rabinovich has faced controversies regarding his dual citizenship, as he is also a citizen of Ukraine. However, he has remained tight-lipped about the matter in public.
