A trip to the Ukrainian East Village is not complete without visiting the Streecha. This huge Ukrainian Catholic church is located on Taras Shevchenko Place on Seventh Street, just off of Broadway. Although the Ukrainian parish is large and well-tended, you may not notice the church’s presence amid the street noise. In the neighborhood, you can also find other Ukrainian religious institutions, including St. George Ukrainian Catholic church and The Ukrainian Museum.
Streecha
If you’re a die-hard fan of the cuisine of Ukraine, you should check out Streecha in Ukrainian Village New York. Located in the basement of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, this restaurant specializes in hearty stuffed cabbage, loaded poppy seed rolls, and pork goulash. The menu is so extensive, you can even make your own pierogi! Streecha even has weekly varenyky-making days to make their delicious dumplings.
The restaurant was started by a volunteer chef who fled the violence and turmoil of Eastern Ukraine and migrated to the United States. It’s a good place to eat borscht, rose jam doughnuts, and other seven-dollar staples. The restaurant also offers specials that change on a daily basis, such as shredded cabbage and pork salad, potato pancakes, and wheat berries with poppy seeds and honey.
Ukrainian East Village
In NYC’s Ukrainian East Village, you can find traditional Ukrainian favorites served in an old-fashioned diner setting. This authentic restaurant features a huge menu of traditional Ukrainian fare. Ukrainian fare is available in a variety of styles and prices, depending on your budget. Here, you can enjoy traditional Ukrainian favorites such as chicken, sausage, and potato pancakes in an authentic diner setting. While you are there, be sure to check out the atmosphere and try some Ukrainian beverages.
Once a traditional Ukrainian neighborhood, the area was settled by a small group of Orthodox Christians. They worshiped at the church they bought from a German congregation. This spawned a Catholic population that grew around East Seventh Street. This church was renamed St. George and became the center of Ukrainian Village and Little Ukraine. Today, this area still contains many Ukrainian businesses and is home to St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church.
St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church
While there are many churches in the city, one that stands out among them is the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church. This church, which is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish, is located on East 7th Street, just off Taras Shevchenko Place. Although it is not located within the East Village Historic District, this church has been a religious, political, and cultural hub for several waves of Ukrainian immigrants in New York City.
Founded in 1876, St. George’s Parish is an atypical Ukrainian Catholic parish. The parish is part of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic movement, which was formally recognized in the 16th century under Catholic Poland. The Church began as an attempt to force Orthodox Christians back to Rome, but it has managed to hold onto its Eastern Rite.
Because of its Ukrainianness, it has been targeted by the Soviet authorities, and during the Cold War, the Russians closed down Greek Catholic parishes and forced many people underground. This persecution forced many to immigrate to the United States, where they remain today.
The Ukrainian Museum
The Ukrainian Museum in the Ukrainian Village of New York is a treasure trove of traditional Ukrainian culture. In addition to a permanent collection of fine arts and crafts, the museum also exhibits artifacts detailing the migration of the Ukrainian people to the U.S. There are exhibits devoted to folk art, Ukrainian Easter eggs, traditional ceramics, and metalwork. Among the featured artists are works by Vasyl Hryhorovych Krychevsky, Mykhailo Moroz, and Alexis Gritchenko.
Founded in 1976, the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America created the museum, which is now the country’s largest museum dedicated to Ukrainian culture. The museum has collections ranging from folk art to fine art to archival materials. Visitors can explore thousands of pieces of Ukrainian art and culture from the past and present.
The museum has won several awards, including the prestigious American Museum of Folk Art. For many years, the Ukrainian Museum was located at 203 Second Avenue but recently moved into a new building at 222 East 6th Street.
