Photos and reporting by Stacey Joy
Strycha Ukrainian Kitchen is reopening this morning in the basement space it has occupied for the past 50 years at 33 East Seventh Street, between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.
Yesterday I met with Father Johann Lubikh, OSBM, who has served as administrator of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church for the past four years, to discuss Strycha and the recent events that have taken place here.
Father Johan explained some of the misunderstandings: “I told Dima to say, 'I don't work at Strycha, but Strycha continues to function,' which is misleading information that Strycha is closed,” Father Johan said. “The name belongs to the parish and the community. Strycha means 'the meeting place of the people.'”
He said St. George hired Kovalenko to run Strecha, but he claims he “turned Strecha into a private business. That's not what this place is for.”
Father Johan spoke about his time in the East Village, where he implemented some reforms at St. George Academy (also known as St. George Ukrainian Catholic School), and said he has a particular interest in helping Ukrainians with psychological problems resulting from PTSD from the Russian invasion.
Streacha said he wants to renovate the community spot on Seventh Street.
“We received many suggestions on how to renovate it; it was in need of a makeover,” he said. “We started cleaning it last year and have been thinking about this change for over a year now, so we're happy to see the space spruced up.”
The newly reopened Streacha will be run by three volunteer women from the church, with the menu and prices remaining the same, and all funds going to St. George.
Father Johan and Deacon Methodius Soroka led a tour of Strycha yesterday.
“It took 20 volunteers three days to clean up the place,” Father Johan said. It has new lighting, paint, furniture and tables and chairs.
Streacha will be open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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