Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, is still reeling from one of the war’s most severe attacks, with over 500 missiles and drones launched at the city and its surroundings on Thursday night, causing widespread fires, heavy air pollution and significant infrastructure damage.
The local Jewish community described a particularly harrowing night. “Explosions didn’t stop; everything shook,” said Rabbi Simcha Lebenhartz, a Chabad emissary in Kyiv. Air raid sirens blared repeatedly and the synagogue’s shelter, equipped with lighting, water and restrooms, filled with both Jewish members and non-Jewish neighbors. “The smoke was thick and lingered for hours after the bombardment ended,” he added.
The shelter beneath the community center is one of the few relatively safe havens in the area. A community member noted that many lack access to proper shelters, forcing thousands to spend nights deep underground in subway stations to survive. Despite the dire circumstances, Kyiv’s Jewish community strives to maintain normalcy.
The Jewish Religious Network of Ukraine (JRNU) reported no direct casualties or damage to community members from this specific attack, though Jewish homes across the country have been repeatedly hit. “We’re doing everything to provide assistance,” the organization said.
On Saturday, the community gathered for a study session in preparation for the 12th day of the Jewish month of Tammuz, a Chabad holiday marking the release of its spiritual leader, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, from Soviet prison. “We all hope and pray that Ukraine, too, will experience redemption—a true release from relentless suffering,” the JRNU added.
Amid the attacks on the Ukrainian capital, a remarkable story of survival emerged from Poltava, a city in central Ukraine. A Jewish man from the local Chabad community, led by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Segal, was forcibly conscripted by the Ukrainian military while heading to synagogue for prayers.
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Claiming exemption from the draft, he was removed from a bus with other passengers and taken to a military facility. Shortly after stepping outside “just to smoke a cigarette,” five direct drone strikes hit the building. Unharmed, he returned to the synagogue and offered prayer in gratitude.
In Kremenchuk, southeast of Kyiv, drones struck a military facility near the local synagogue, managed by Chabad emissary Rabbi Shlomo Salomon. Despite the ongoing threat, Chabad emissaries across Ukraine emphasize their commitment to preserving Jewish life.
“We do everything to maintain Jewish continuity—holding prayer services, classes and community activities despite the hardship,” one emissary said. “This war has lasted over three years, but we feel its impact anew every day.”