Passover is the holiday of freedom, but for the quarter of a million Jews who lived before the war in Ukraine, those who remained there and those who managed to leave, this holiday is far from freedom - and not really festive.
The Jewish community in Dnipro, which some call the "capital of Judaism" of the state, works around the clock to provide dozens of communities with basic Passover needs.
"We purchased 50,000 sets of fancy handmade matzahs, most of which were baked in a bakery here in Dnipro before the war, along with grape juice, food and kosher meat, and added first aid kits to the packages," says Rabbi Meir Stumbler, chairman of the Jewish Federation of Ukraine. The products are sent with bus drivers who take out refugees and bring them to our absorption centers in Dnipro, before transferring them outside the country.
Here in Dnipro we hold several public rites together with the rabbi of the city, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminecki.
My wife and kids are in the country, and obviously there must be a miracle for us to celebrate together.
I do not want to think of another reality, where on this holiday of redemption we will still be in the midst of this terrible war. "
Public events will also take place in cities in the front, such as the bombed-out Kharkiv.
Rebbetzin Miriam Moskowitz, a Chabad emissary in the city, who is currently in Israel, says: "In our synagogue there are still 100 refugees whose homes have been destroyed, and they are finding shelter in the building.
My husband will return to the city for Seder night to celebrate with the community, despite the difficult situation there. "
Rabbi of Kyiv and Chabad emissary Yonatan Markovich will organize in the capital of Ukraine three public events in three different centers. Rent a fancy restaurant downtown and qualify it to hold the holiday meal there.
Absorption of arrivals from Ukraine, Ben Gurion Airport, Photo: Koko
Meanwhile, the Federation of Communities warns of a severe shortage of food and paramedical products.
"The aid we send is important and saves lives in places where there is no food and basic things, such as polydine and artificial respiration devices. We would be happy for any aid to pass it on to the Jews here."
The Friendship Foundation provided 12,000 matzahs to community members
Chabad Odessa on the Black Sea coast is investing a lot of effort in preparing for Passover and in particular in order to broadcast "business as usual" - despite the ongoing war in Ukraine - for members of the Jewish community in the city ahead of Independence Day.
In practice, in the coming days there will be a distribution of 2,000 food packages containing meat, poultry, oil, wine, juice and grapes for the community families for the holiday.
In addition, they will receive the Passover bowl with all the marks (charoset, horseradish, arm and egg) including candles and matches, tablecloth and cup.
In addition, the Odessa Chabad House has organized a hotel for 250 men and women who want to keep the whole holiday (9 days) properly and are unable to do so privately. Moreover, the Friendship Foundation provided 12,000 matzahs to community members (a kilo of matzah per family).
Meanwhile, Chabad Odessa is also organizing Passover in Berlin with 300 women and orphanages.
"All our current efforts are to allow the whole house of Israel to celebrate the holiday properly so that they can celebrate the whole holiday with joy and satiety and with the help of the name we will meet it with great success," Rebbetzin Chaya Wolf tells Israel Today, which opened the unique "Family" orphanage In the city 21 years ago (together with her husband, Rabbi Avraham Wolf, a Chabad emissary and rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine).
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