Reflections on Moldova by Rabbi Chai Posner

Reflections on Moldova:

“Do Not Forget These People”

By Rabbi Chai Posner

Recently, Rabbi Chai Posner led a trip to Moldova along with eight other Beth Tfiloh community members. The group spent two and a half days with IsraAID, an incredible Israeli organization which goes all over the world bringing disaster relief in times of crisis. Though many groups have been going to Poland, IsraAID chose to work in Moldova, Ukraine’s smallest and poorest neighboring country, because they found a great need for help, especially at the border. He shares some reflections from the trip here.

The two-and-a-half-hour drive back to Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, gave me plenty of time to talk to Ethan Schwartz, the communications and marketing director for IsraAID. We were returning from Palanca, a small village at the easternmost part of Moldova. We had just visited the border crossing from Ukraine into Moldova there and seen the tent that IsraAid set up with toys for kids and charging stations for their moms. I asked Ethan many questions, and he patiently took the time to answer all of them in his softspoken and thoughtful manner. This time I asked him what he thought was the most important message for us to bring back to Baltimore. He didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“Tell them not to forget about these people. Even if the war were to end today, the lives of the people it has affected will take years to rebuild. And they will continue to need our support, even after the news cameras leave.”

Ethan went on to explain to me that IsraAid was making plans to stay in Moldova for three to five years. In the years ahead, they would continue to train, support, and equip the Moldovan people and the Ukrainian refugees they had taken in with the tools needed to overcome the trauma they all experienced. From health and medical aid to clean water and hygiene, from educational centers to mental health and psychological support, IsraAID doesn’t just drop into disaster areas and then leave. Instead, they work with the local population, to bring Israeli knowhow to people when they need it most. Over the course of two and a half days, the eight other members of our Beth Tfiloh delegation, and I, saw the work IsraAID does, and the people their work is helping. Moldova is the smallest and poorest country in Europe, but they have welcomed the fleeing Ukranian people with open arms. More than 400,000 Ukrainians have come into Moldova, and 80% of them stayed in people’s private homes. They have taken in the most Ukrainian refugees per capita, of any country. Children’s

The speaker runs a safe place for Ukrainian and Moldovan kids for 12 hours a day.

educational and recreational centers have opened their doors. Teachers are working double shifts. Local residents have donated, collected and distributed food, supplies, clothing and shoes. The kindness of these people is inspirational. One woman told us that the Israelis and the Jews were some of the first to show up to help early on. That was one of the proudest Jewish moments of my life. We met with US Ambassador to Moldova Kent Logsdon, and brought him the message that Jewish Americans from Baltimore care about these refugees. They may speak a different language, practice a different religion and eat different foods, but we share the same divine image in which we were all created. I am grateful to Ari Mittleman, who first suggested this trip and did so much of the legwork to make it happen. Ari’s ability to form connections with all kinds of people is remarkable. Our group of nine Jews from the United States on a solidarity mission for refugees from Ukraine – mostly Christians – were graciously hosted in a hotel in Moldova, which is owned and run by Ari’s friend, Fatih Bora, a Turkish Muslim. That’s enough to give you hope! I am inspired that in addition to Ari, seven other BT men and women dropped what they were doing, paid their own airfare, and joined us on this trip. We felt that this moment of the biggest humanitarian crisis in Ukraine since World War II, was a moment in which we had to act.

This was one of my proudest Beth Tfiloh moments. We came back asking ourselves how we could respond to Ethan’s challenge not to forget the long-term needs of those affected by this war. That is work that lies ahead. We welcome you to join us. You can support IsraAID’s vital efforts by donating online at IsraAID.org.

Ukrainian child in Moldova receiving gifts from the Beth Tfiloh group.

Beth Tfiloh group with Moldovan officials.

This dilapidated apartment building was converted into temporary housing for refugees. IsraAID took part of the building and built a playroom so moms can get a little space and breathing room.