A Conversation with Olga Streltchenko
Board Member Olga Streltchenko has a Ph.D. in computer science (from the University of Maryland), but please don’t call her Dr. Streltchenko, she prefers simply, Olga. Communications Committee member Suzan Zilahi met with Olga over coffee to learn more about this fascinating Renaissance woman.
1. What brought you to our congregation?
My husband’s family was an original member of Congregation Beth Shalom. We met when we were both studying in the United States, we fell in love, eventually moved to Toronto, and later returned to Ottawa because my husband wished to come home. For us, joining KBI wasn’t so much a decision as it was a homecoming.
2. What do you love most about being part of this community?
I find KBI to be an exceptionally intellectual community, which I truly admire. I especially appreciate how people come together whenever needed with a proactive, “let’s do it ourselves” spirit. When I became a board member, I set high expectations for myself and quickly learned what was realistic for me, my family, and the community.
3. Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. I left in 1995 after completing my Master’s in Mechanical Engineering and moved to the United States to continue graduate school and obtain a Master’s in Mathematics at Syracuse University. I met my husband in grad school and settled in Canada in 2000.
4. Do you still have family in Ukraine?
Yes. Most of my family, apart from my parents, remain in Ukraine, and those who have left are now living in Israel. These last years have been incredibly taxing. It’s heartbreaking to wake up and almost always have to check whether my family is still alive. As painful and traumatic as it is from afar, it is incomparably harder for those whose lives are truly at risk.
5. What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I don’t think it’s surprising, but others often do, so I don’t particularly advertise it: martial arts is a big part of my adult life. Many see it as an adversarial sport, but the community is remarkably welcoming and supportive. I especially enjoy the cooperative nature of the training, the need to be attuned to the other person.
6. If you could have dinner with any Jewish figure (past or present), who would it be and why?
It’s an excellent question and a hard choice, but someone especially meaningful to me is Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, the renowned Torah scholar and author. I’m a big admirer of her work. She was a part of a KBI program before my time, so I unfortunately missed the opportunity to have dinner with her. As a literary psychologist now living in Jerusalem, she introduced me to so much rich religious commentary that transcends religion and encompasses psychology, literature and literary criticism.
7. What’s your favourite holiday?
I love holidays that emphasize cooking and hosting, because I love both, but not baking! I wouldn’t call myself a ‘big cook’, but it certainly brings me peace of mind. Even if I do get tired, it still feels like relaxation.
8. Do you have a hobby?
Horseback riding! It’s incredibly calming.