Yael's Holy Land Reflections

(Photo: Moshe Bukhman)

This Passover, Remember the Jewish Communities That Are Suffering

April 14, 2022

As Jews around the world prepare to observe Passover — the most important holiday on the Jewish calendar — we think of God’s deliverance, of His protection over His people. And we celebrate.

However, far too many Jews are, right now, praying for His deliverance once again. Writing at Charisma News, Yael discusses the Passover prayers of Ukraine’s Jews and how they are being answered:

Ukrainian Jews had thought their days of suffering were over. In the 20th century, under Soviet rule, the authorities could arrest anyone in Ukraine for celebrating Passover. After the collapse of communism, Ukrainian Jews celebrated Passover openly once more.

But the liberty they have enjoyed has come to an end. As Russian troops invade — supposedly to “de-Nazify” Ukraine — Jews are once again on the run. Perhaps no other group in world history knows better about living constantly on the move than the Jewish people.

Ukrainian Holocaust survivor Vladimir Kazachinsky fled Ukraine in 1941 when the Nazis began bombing, and he lived in Russia for four years before returning. He recalled recently, “I was 12 years old. I remember everything well.” In the past month, his family was forced to live for 10 days in a Mariupol basement with little water or food while their neighbourhood endured constant shelling, before deciding to flee.

“I would never have thought that I would be forced to go through this for a second time,” Vladimir said.

In two decades of humanitarian work, I’ve never seen such suffering and desperation as I’m seeing today. In the past six weeks, our organization, The Fellowship, has helped thousands of orphans and elderly flee from Ukraine to Israel — their ages ranging from 2 months to 94 years…

Read the rest of Yael’s Passover message at Charisma News.

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