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