One year into a bitter war, Ukraine’s shluchim remain staunchly at their posts

Photos: Kharkov Jewish Community

The winter has been freezing and dark, the cities have been turned into bombed-out casualties of war, and the fear and uncertainty have taken a huge psychological toll. But that hasn’t stopped the community rabbis and rebbetzins of Ukraine, who’ve refused to jump ship as long as they’re needed by the remaining members of the kehillos they toiled for decades to build

IT’S

been a year since Russia’s headline-grabbing invasion of its smaller neighbor, but while the world anticipated a quick fall for Kyiv, the battle still rages on. The media has given extensive coverage to beleaguered Ukraine’s defense, but there are other frontline soldiers too, out of the limelight, equally intent on giving the battle their all.

All across the Ukraine, Chabad shluchim have voluntarily returned to the war zone, to help fellow Jews. Having fled along with millions of others when Russian victory looked certain, the decision to return meant enduring months of austerity conditions in a country under constant aerial attack.

In the process, the families who made their way back to Ukraine were implementing a basic Chabad philosophy that shuns political affiliation and speaking out on the broader issues of the day in favor of community building.

In an interview with Mishpacha last year, chief rabbi of Russia Rabbi Berel Lazar — whose pre-war remit included bringing many of these same families to Ukraine —set out the principles that have enabled Chabad to cultivate working relationships with governments worldwide.

“Your job is to teach the Jews about Yiddishkeit and to help them materially and spiritually,” he told shluchim as the war destroyed old certainties about their jobs. “Anyone who demands that you get involved in the war situation is trying to get you to miss the mark. That’s not your job.”

The balance of material and spiritual that Rabbi Lazar referred to has changed under the deteriorating conditions of wartime Ukraine. While they continue to worry about minyanim and schooling, in large part their charge has morphed from a religious one to a humanitarian one. Many former Ukrainian Jewish breadwinners are now dependent on the community for heat, food, and warmth.

The winter has been freezing and dark, as Russia pounds civilian infrastructure. There are regular electricity and water shut-offs, rendering ovens, radiators, and washing machines useless. Sirens send families scurrying to bomb shelters, and the fear and uncertainty take a psychological toll. Kosher food is no longer being imported from Europe, and the shluchim have to make do with what is available locally. But none of that deters these families who are determined not to jump ship.

Five rabbis and rebbetzins serving Jews across Ukrainian war zones share snippets of their daily lives and how things have changed in the kehillos they toiled for decades to build.