As Ukraine marks nearly four years of war following Russia’s invasion, Kyiv’s Jewish community is preparing to celebrate its fourth Rosh Hashanah under bombardment.
Rabbi Yonatan Benyamin Markovitch, the chief Chabad rabbi of Kyiv, said tens of thousands of Jews remain in the capital, including many displaced from frontline regions such as Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol. “It is impossible to live there,” he said. “The attacks are not daily, they are every hour.”
Rabbi Yonatan Benyamin Markovitch
(Video: Yaron Brenner)
Despite ongoing Russian missile and drone strikes, Jewish life continues in the city. Chabad, with the support of Jewish organizations in Ukraine and abroad, is distributing food packages and hosting thousands for holiday meals. “We are trying to reach Jews who cannot come to synagogues and to welcome the thousands who will join us,” Markovitch said.
Comparing life in Ukraine to Israel, he noted the lack of air defenses and limited escape routes. “Here at night there are bombs and explosions. Some missiles are intercepted, but others fall on homes where people are sleeping. We have nowhere to run,” he said.
The uncertainty of the war weighs heavily. “There is no perspective that in two days, two weeks, or two months the war will end,” Markovitch said. He warned that Russian attacks may intensify in the coming winter, prompting more Jews to consider emigrating, including to Israel.
On antisemitism, Markovitch said the situation has improved in recent decades and further diminished during the war. “For at least 25 years, antisemitic incidents here have been very rare. During the war, it has become even less,” he said. While online slurs and isolated cases still occur, he described Kyiv as safe for Jews.
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Markovitch expressed hope for peace. “May it be a good and blessed year for Ukraine, Israel and the world,” he said.