Following the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Chabad community in the city of Odessa launched a $ 500,000 fundraising campaign to save the local Jewish community.
Rabbi Avraham Wolf, the chief rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine and a Chabad emissary in the city, said in a conversation with Israel Today: "Our role as emissaries and rabbis is currently divided into two levels, mentally and physically.
On the mental level we are engaged in encouraging, strengthening and relieving the pressure, fear and apprehension of the Jews in our communities.
And as a result, none of us leave.
On the physical level, we are organizing an operation under the name "Refugee Shelter."
Rabbi Wolf added that "for several weeks now we have been preparing for other scenarios, God forbid - which we hope and believe we will not reach - and we do all this without publishing it, so as not to cause further pressure and fears among the Jews."
The intention is, among other things, to purchase about a thousand sleeping bags in case Jewish refugees from Kharkov, Kiev and Dnieper arrive in Odessa, and for the purpose of financing food products.
"These are purchases that cost us about $ 130,000 and we are facing additional expenses of up to $ 500,000," the rabbi noted.
"All of this is loan money we took from local banks so we can feed the hundreds of children growing up in orphanages, the hundreds of students from across Ukraine who live with us, and about a hundred old Holocaust survivors who live in the community's seniors' seat."
According to the rabbi, they have even hired security companies in recent days to be added to the security companies that work with them.
The fundraising site for the Odessa community
Mobilize for the Jewish community in Ukraine,
Rabbi Moshe Reuven Asman, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, also called for mobilization for the Jews in the country.
"We have close to 400 people and more will probably come. There are shelling and we are trying to help the people. We managed to gather food for all the people who are here. I have a request, help us with prayers. Frightened people. There is a real war here. Help us physically so we can hold More shopping, as much as possible. "
"The situation is very difficult": Rabbi Dov Bleich calls for donations to the Jewish community in Ukraine
They were joined by Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich from Ukraine, who asked for help for members of the Jewish community.
"The situation is very difficult and the fighting is going on inside Kiev," he said.
"We have about 200 people left in the refugee camp we set up outside of Kiev. There is another group that is now in a synagogue, about 100 people. We also have a nursing home and thank God there is already security there today.
"Now we will try to increase security around the synagogue. The Ukrainian government has distributed guns and weapons to anyone who wants so that they can fight against any enemy. I hope their strength will pray and contribute and do what they can to strengthen the community in the most difficult times in World War II." "Let there be a Sabbath of silence."
Yehuda Schlesinger participated in the preparation of the article
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