Passover is supposed to be the "holiday of freedom," but for the quarter of a million Jews who lived in Ukraine before the war, this holiday is very far from freedom - both for the Jews, most of whom remained in the country, and for those who wandered the roads or immigrated to Israel and do not know what a new day is.
The bathing season has opened: all the information and rules that bathers need
The Jewish community in the city of Dnipro - the 'business capital' of Ukraine, which some also call the 'capital of Judaism' of the country - is working around the clock to provide dozens of communities with basic Passover needs.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
In recent years, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, together with Chabad emissaries, has held about 200 public Passover seders, but this year the number will be much smaller. The curfew that goes into effect at 6:00 PM will also make it difficult to hold community events.
Rabbi Meir Stambler, chairman of the federation, is in Dnipro.
From the moment the war broke out, he slept little and was busy around the clock - including on Shabbat, with halachic approval - rescuing Jews from the frontline cities, using a fleet of buses and trains he rented, along with sending first aid kits, matzah, wine and food to the country's Jews.
""We purchased 50,000 sets of fancy handmade matzahs, most of which were baked in a bakery here in Dnipro, even before the war, along with grape juice, kosher food and meat, and we included first aid kits in the packages.
""We send the products with bus drivers who pick up refugees and bring them to our absorption centers in Dnipro, before transferring them outside the country's borders. Here in Dnipro we will hold several public Seder nights together with the city's rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky.
""My wife and children are in Israel and it's clear to me that there must be a miracle for us to celebrate together. I don't want to think about a different reality, where on this Redeemer's Day we will still be in the midst of this terrible war.".
Public nights of order will also be held in cities on the front, such as bombed-out Kharkov.
According to Rebbetzin Miriam Moskowitz, Chabad emissary in the city, who is currently in Israel: "In our synagogue there are still 100 refugees whose homes were destroyed and they are finding shelter in the building. Since there is a curfew after 8:00 PM, another 100 people will arrive for the Seder night and they will celebrate there and then stay to sleep until Chol HaMoed. With the assistance of the 'Federation of Jewish Communities', large quantities of matzah, juice, grapes, meat and first aid are making their way to the city. This is especially important now, when there is a very large shortage of food and paramedical products in Kharkov.".
In Kharkov, thousands of kits will also be distributed to those who want to celebrate the Seder at home: "We have 4 brave drivers who drive under fire and help the elderly and the sick. They are angels.".
In Odessa, which has been in the crosshairs in recent days, they thought of a creative solution.
The city's rabbi and Chabad emissary, Rabbi Avraham Wolf, says: "Because of the curfew, we will hold a public Seder for our school students and their parents that will begin at 6 p.m. and end by 8 p.m. so that people have time to return home. In addition, we rented a hotel for 9 days and 300 community members will stay there throughout the holiday. This way, we will be able to hold the Seder as it is, without having to go out on the street during the curfew, because we will also sleep in the same building. There is no doubt that this will be a different Passover, but I hope that 'in Nissan they were redeemed and in Nissan they will be redeemed' and that we will see miracles.".
The rabbi of Kiev and Chabad emissary, Rabbi Yonatan Markowitz, will organize 3 public seder nights in 3 different locations in the Ukrainian capital. Dozens are expected to participate in each of them, and they will stay to sleep in the buildings where the holiday meal will be held due to the curfew on the streets.
According to Rabbi Markowitz, "In addition to the community events, people who want to have a Seder at home will receive food, matzah and wine - meaning this is both humanitarian aid at a time when it is not easy to obtain food and also aid for the holiday in one package.".
Rabbi Mendel Gottlieb, director of the Chabad House in Lviv, has rented a luxurious restaurant in the center of Lviv and will prepare it to hold the holiday meal. "We estimate that about 150 people will participate on the first Seder night and a few dozen on the second night. At this time, Lviv Jews are happy to come together and attend any community event, in the hope that we will enjoy true peace and freedom. Because of the curfew, the Seder night will be a bit unusual from a halachic perspective, but we received a permit for this because it is a situation of pikuach nefesh.".
Meanwhile, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine warns of a severe shortage of food and paramedical supplies. "The aid we send - with the help of friends from all over the world - is important and saves lives in places where there is no food and basic things like polythene, artificial respiration devices, and more, but our budgets are running out at a rapid pace. We thank everyone who is helping in preparation for the upcoming holiday, but I fear a scenario in which after Passover we will not be able to send any more humanitarian products. This is keeping me awake at night. We would be happy to receive any assistance to deliver it to the Jews here.".
[gallery]
