While Ukrainian Jews try to maintain a routine of life under fire, the night between Wednesday and Thursday of this week will be remembered as one of the most difficult for the Jewish community in recent times.
This is due to an unusual and continuous wave of attacks that swept through the country, this time involving not only attacks on infrastructure, but also direct attacks, in which homes of Jewish families in the central cities were damaged.
""Over the years, we have not experienced such a continuous wave of attacks on community homes," says Rabbi Simcha Lebenaretz, Chabad Mishluchei in Kiev and operations manager of the JRNU aid network.
""Many families found themselves facing ruins; windows were broken by the rocket fire, and vehicles, which are essential tools for survival, were severely damaged. We are not leaving them alone and are offering immediate help in repairing the windows and minimal reconstruction.".
One of the chilling events took place in the city of Zaporizhia, where a suicide drone crashed into the "Chesed Michael" building - a community assistance center where dozens of people were staying at the time, including children and adults.
Rabbi Nachum Arantroy, Chabad emissary and rabbi of Zaporizhia, describes the miracle: "There were many people in the building. In a clear miracle, despite the force of the explosion and the destruction of the building, no one was injured. We only recently finished installing new and elegant mezuzahs in the place, and we feel with a strong feeling that this is what protected us. 'Give thanks to Hashem, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.'".
The Chabad JRNU network, which operates as the welfare arm of Chabad Ukraine, is in contact with the Jewish communities where the homes of community members were damaged. In some places, the emissaries physically visit the affected families, assess the damage, and provide a rapid humanitarian response.
""There are families whose homes have been so badly damaged that the emissaries have offered to evacuate them to temporary accommodation," notes Rabbi Lebneretz. "The magnificent Menorah Center in Dnieper has opened its doors to families who have lost the security of their homes, where they receive accommodation, hot food and emotional support.".
