The Jewish community of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, was informed Wednesday of the death of Andrey Kurovskiy, a beloved and dedicated teacher who taught at the city’s Or Avner–Chabad Jewish school for more than 20 years.
Kurovskiy, who was drafted into a drone unit at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, had previously been wounded on the battlefield. After a recovery period, he chose to return to serve.
“Andrey was one of our school’s most veteran teachers,” said Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, chief rabbi of Zhytomyr and western Ukraine. “He led the computer studies program, taught computer science, was a skilled programmer and was deeply passionate about his work. He was incredibly committed to education and to the school for many years.
“We helped him during his rehabilitation. Once he was back on his feet and regaining his strength, Andrey decided to return to the front. Today we received the heartbreaking news of his death.”
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Staff and students at the school were devastated. “He worked very hard here and was deeply connected to the students,” said one of the teachers. Kurovskiy joins a growing list of community members who have fallen since the war began.
“Each time, the pain is new,” said Wilhelm. “Sometimes it’s a teacher, sometimes a student. It’s a never-ending tragedy. We constantly worry, as many of our graduates and community members are serving in the army. In Ukraine, every man is drafted—it’s extremely hard to find good teachers.”
Kurovskiy’s funeral was held Wednesday afternoon and included a procession past the Jewish school where he taught. Students joined in paying their final respects to their longtime educator.
Meanwhile, preparations for the end of the academic year at Or Avner are continuing. This week, the school is set to hold its “Last Bell” ceremony, the traditional end-of-year event at one of Ukraine’s longest-running Jewish educational institutions. Since its founding, the school has educated thousands of students, many of whom now live in Israel, the United States and other countries.