OU Israel and the War in Ukraine

May 1999 was the first time I landed in the Ukraine as a shaliach of the OU.

Ukraine was the birthplace of a remarkably powerful movement that influenced the Jewish world - the Hasidic movement with great leaders in Breslav, Oman, Berdichevwhich added immense light and joy to the world.

In Kharkov, Ukraine, I was exposed to the vital work of the OU. There was a Jewish school with almost 300 students. Tens of thousands of Jews who lived in the area but did not know about Jewish life received a breath of ‘Jewish oxygen’ from the OU activities in Kharkov.

A year ago, in February 2022, Putin invaded Ukraine and began to systematically and mercilessly destroy it. In one day, they were left destitute, homeless, jobless and without family (men aged 18-60 cannot leave the country and must help the war effort). The people ran away from their homes with small bags of documents and that was it.

The people of the community in Kharkov in particular, and throughout Ukraine in general, cried out for help. Initially the requests were for food and medicine and then they asked for help to escape and reach the Land of Israel.

Delegations from the OU went to the borders, took in the refugees, embraced them, distributed hot soup and clothes, helped find them places to stay, and provided direction for their most pressing question - what next?

After helping them reach Israel, we did not let up in our support. We were privileged at the OU to open a department that currently works with hundreds of Ukrainian immigrants throughout the country, helping families with klita in the country, finding a job, a social group, and a community.

We provide the families with spiritual reinforcement, we celebrate the holidays together, on Chanukah we lit candles in dozens of homes, set up mezuzahs, distributed Torah books in Russian and above all else, we are there for them, building communities together.

The refugees and immigrants in Israel are safe, but their challenges are not over. Now it takes a different form, as they are struggling to rebuild their lives. We must continue to do everything in our power to ensure their physical and spiritual success in Israel.

We are here for them!

You are invited to join the efforts.

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