NEW YORK TIMES
A Tech-Savvy Holocaust Memorial in Ukraine Draws Critics and Crowds
by Maria Varenikova and Andrew E. Kramer
October 8, 2021
An advertisement on the Ukrainian-language version of Tinder, the online dating platform, offered a not-so-romantic experience. “Touch the tragedy of Babyn Yar,” the ad suggested, urging users to learn more about one of the largest mass shootings of Jews in World War II, at a site in Kyiv. The pitch was hardly an outlier. As Ukraine this week marks the 80th anniversary of the massacre at Babyn Yar, web-savvy advertising, modern art installations and audience-grabbing techniques like online gaming have become an integral part of a well-funded effort to update Holocaust commemoration. The tech-heavy approach has drawn criticism from traditionalists, who say it dishonors the solemnity of the topic. READ MORE