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Among Ukraine’s Jews, a year of war has transformed the ordinary into the sacred

TRUSKAVETS, Ukraine (JTA) — Nearly 600 Jews stand shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes trained on the young man leading the service to close out Shabbat. The crowd sings a soulful havdalah tune that lifts up its final words: “hamavdil ben kodesh l’chol” — ”the One who divides between sacred and ordinary.”  

It looks like a Shabbat gathering anywhere else in the world, but I’m in the western Ukrainian city of Truskavets, where — from every part of their conflict-scarred country — these Jewish community volunteers have come together for a four-day retreat, energized by the chance to learn from each other and take a deep breath.  

I’m back in Ukraine for the first time since the crisis began to learn from these men and women making miracles happen. I came to document and share stories from this gathering. Remarkably, it’s the largest-ever in the former Soviet Union arranged by my organization, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, which has worked to aid needy Jews and build Jewish life in the region for decades.  

With its wine and sweet-smelling spices, havdalah eases the transition from the holy purity of Shabbat to the workaday mundanity of the week. Surrounded by hundreds of Ukrainian Jews, I felt uplifted, as I always do when I travel to this region and see its defiant, vibrant Jewish life.  

The usual rules don’t apply. Here, the ordinary becomes sacred.

On this, my 14th trip to the former Soviet Union in 10 years, I’ve come to know it as a place where that switch is truly flipped. Rebuking a painful history, from the Holocaust to Soviet oppression, everyday actions become lifesaving and essential. That’s never been more true than this past year, as Jewish communities here worked overtime to meet the enormous humanitarian needs of this crisis.   

Simple flashlights become beacons enabling home care workers to reach the bedridden elderly Jews they serve. Bus trips between cities are transformed into escape hatches for those fleeing rocket attacks. A box of nonperishables is manna from heaven for those faced with empty grocery shelves, and each call from a volunteer is a life raft for the loneliest seniors and most vulnerable at-risk families.

Over the last year, more than 3,000 volunteers engaged in projects affecting 36,000 people. This work is part of our expansive response to this crisis — supported by the Jewish Federations of North America, the Claims Conference, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, individuals, families, corporations and foundations. It includes providing uninterrupted assistance to 43,000 Jews in Ukraine and the delivery of 800 tons of humanitarian aid. Among those we help are the elderly and families, internally displaced people, and the new poor who have lost their livelihoods in the devastation.

A song leader leads participants in havdalah at JDC’s volunteer Shabbaton in Truskavets, Ukraine, February 2023. (Arik Shraga)

Not blind to the challenges they face, Jews and Jewish communities here are resilient and resolute in the knowledge that there’s something more important at play. It’s a clarity of purpose that means, against all odds, they’ve grown even stronger.  

“My fears were boiling me alive,” said Tatiana Chumachenko, a 34-year-old Odessa mother of two. She started volunteering this summer and now runs weekly cooking classes and art therapy sessions for elderly Jews. “So I made the decision to widen my world — to take on more responsibility, to take care of more people. And volunteering literally saved me.”  

Thousands of Ukraine’s Jews just like Tatiana have chosen determination, not despair. They’ve driven through besieged cities delivering medicine and firewood, power generators and portable heaters. They know their Jewish values demand action and compassion, and so they’ve stepped up. 

Daria Yefimenko, the head of our network of 25 volunteer centers across Ukraine, is that resolute determination personified. The air raid siren went off the other day as I was interviewing her — a shocking noise, made more frightening by its maddening vagueness: What’s happening? Where? Am I in danger, or is this just background noise?  

I learned later that just a few hours before I arrived in Ukraine, a missile had struck Drohobych, only 10 kilometers from the Shabbaton.  

Yefimenko seemed unshaken. She and her team — her “family of superhero volunteers” — live here, of course. They must cope with brutal shelling and unpredictable electricity cuts. They have daily fears for their loved ones, and rising anxiety about what the future holds. They help their neighbors even as they share their pain and struggles.  

And they keep on going.  

Alex Weisler joins the massive group havdalah at JDC’s volunteer Shabbaton in Truskavets, Ukraine, Feb. 18, 2023. (Arik Shraga)

There are so many stories in this part of the world — World War II stories, Soviet stories, stories of rebuilding and reimagining Jewish life after the Soviet Union fell. I’m curious about the one we’ll tell when this is all over.  

Will we remember how Jews supported each other in the darkest days? We should.  

Before the massive Shabbaton havdalah, I led a smaller version at the hotel down the road where we have housed hundreds of internally displaced people since the earliest days of the Ukraine crisis.  

Six elderly Jews from the Zaporizhzhia region joined me for their first havdalah ever. Among the group was 76-year-old Alla Hodak, who fled from a place with significant devastation. 

Alex Weisler leads a group of internally displaced Ukrainian Jewish community members in their first-ever havdalah ceremony, Feb. 18, 2023. (Arik Shraga)

Here, observing Jewish rituals in a third-floor alcove, she had begun to form a makeshift community—not quite home, but not alone either. “You made sure we were never abandoned to fate,” she told me.   

In that moment of stark intimacy, our small group blessed the wine, smelled the cinnamon, and felt the warmth of the braided candle. It bound us together and reminded us that drawing a distinction between then and now can be holy, too.  

As we take stock of a year of grief and grit, we must guarantee that the next one is a kinder one. We must recognize our own hands as sacred tools and each member of our global Jewish family as holier still.  

There’s nothing ordinary about that. Each person and each day has become an opportunity to do good for those who need us most and build their future together. That’s the only way forward. 

—
The post Among Ukraine’s Jews, a year of war has transformed the ordinary into the sacred appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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Belgian Musicians, Italian Broadcast Union Pressure Their Countries to Boycott Eurovision Over Israel’s Participation

A photographer takes a picture of a TV screen in Wiener Stadthalle, the venue of next year’s Eurovision in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Two collective groups in Belgium and Italy are pressuring their respective countries to withdraw participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest because of Israel’s involvement in the competition, which is set to take place in Vienna, Austria, in May.

A group of 170 Belgian artists and cultural figures signed a petition that called on the country’s national broadcaster RTBF to “honor its public service mission” and pull out of the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest “as long as a state trampling underfoot the very foundations of our common humanity is welcome.” They accused Israel of conducting a “war of extermination waged against the Palestinian people” in the Gaza Strip and of using cultural events to “art-wash” its military actions.

“In our view, this constitutes a serious breach of the ethical and moral obligations of public broadcasters,” read the petition, as reported by French-language Belgian daily La Libre. “Participating in Eurovision allows Israel to maintain the illusion that it is a modern and exemplary Western democracy, and thus to more easily conceal its criminal actions.”

The signatories also claimed that “for years, the Israeli government has used major artistic and cultural events for propaganda purposes in order to divert attention from its regime of occupation, colonization, and apartheid against the Palestinian people.” They further denounced the Belgian broadcaster VRT, which nominates Belgium’s representative who will compete in the Eurovision, and claimed the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the competition, of displaying double standards for allowing Israel to compete while excluding Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The national broadcasters of Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia have already announced they will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision or broadcast the final on their national television channels, after it was confirmed in early December that Israel will be allowed to compete in next year’s contest.

The union group USB-RAI Coordination, at Italy’s state broadcaster RAI, launched a petition that urged RAI to join the countries “making the courageous decision” to boycott Eurovision 2026 because of Israel’s involvement. The union branch was founded two years ago and has currently around 50 members at the state broadcaster, according to Euronews. Their petition already has more than 7,000 signatures.

“By withdrawing Italy from Eurovision and deciding not to broadcast the event, RAI would not only be taking an ethically and empathetically justifiable stance, but would also be setting a moral example on the international stage,” the USB said in a statement. “Such a gesture would demonstrate how much Italy values ​​human dignity, equality, and justice for all peoples. We would make our voice heard globally, showing that we do not turn a blind eye to injustice.”

Italy is one of the “Big Five” countries (with France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom) that have supported the Eurovision Song Contest since the first competition in 1956. In a statement on Dec. 5, RAI confirmed its participation in the contest and said Italy has “always been among the countries that believed in and invested in the Eurovision Song Contest, contributing significantly, including financially, to its development and international success.”

“In recent years our commitment has grown steadily, testifying to the value we attach to an event that is the longest-running international music show, capable of uniting diverse cultures in a shared celebration,” the broadcaster added. “RAI’s involvement in the competition confirms the determination to strengthen Italy’s role in the promotion of music, culture, and entertainment at international level. RAI supports the participation of the Israeli public broadcaster Kan in the next edition [of the Eurovision].”

On Dec. 11, last year’s Eurovision winner Nemo announced on social media they will return their trophy to the EBU in protest of Israel’s participation in the Eurovision. A day later, Charlie McGettigan, who won the 1994 Eurovision with fellow Irish singer Paul Harrington with the song “Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids,” said he was returning his trophy to the EBU for the same reason.

The Austrian public broadcaster ORF, host of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, confirmed last week that it will not prohibit the Palestinian flag in the audience nor censor any booing directed at Israel’s performance.

“We will allow all official flags that exist in the world, if they comply with the law and are in a certain form – size, security risks, etc,” said the show’s executive producer, Michael Kroen. “We will not sugarcoat anything or avoid showing what is happening, because our task is to show things as they are.”

In an effort to pressure Portugal to boycott the 2026 Eurovision, several Portuguese artists announced in a joint statement that they would not go to Vienna to take part in the event because of Israel’s participation.

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Iran Accuses Israel of False Flag Attacks on Jews Abroad as Regime’s Executions Reach Record Levels

People walk near a mural of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran continues to accuse Israel of orchestrating false-flag attacks against Jews and Israelis abroad to stoke fears of antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre, even as the regime escalates its own domestic crackdown, with public executions reaching record levels.

Speaking to commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday, Iranian military chief Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi referred to the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people and wounded at least 40 others, as “not the first time that Jews have been targeted in an attempt to portray Israel as a victim,” accusing the Jewish state of committing similar crimes in the past.

“The Zionist regime has assassinated members of the Jewish community and their affiliates in other countries to prevent reverse migration, escape internal turmoil, and instill antisemitism,” Mousavi said. 

However, as the Islamist regime in Iran continues to issue baseless accusations, Australian and Israeli authorities are actually investigating whether Tehran had a role in orchestrating the mass shooting targeting Sydney’s Jewish community, citing the regime’s long history of plotting terrorist attacks abroad.

According to Iranian media, Mousavi also accused the United States and Israel of wrongdoing, saying “the events of the past two years have exposed their criminal nature to the world.”

“Enemies of the country are lawbreakers, warmongers, and deceivers, and they do not adhere to any international law or humanitarian norms,” he said. 

In the immediate aftermath of the Dec. 14 massacre at Bondi Beach, the Iranian Foreign Ministry publicly condemned the “violent attack” in Sydney, though tje statement was vague and made no mention of antisemitism, the local Jewish community, or any specific target.

However, Iranian state and semi-official media pushed a starkly different narrative, spreading conspiracy theories that framed the attack as a plot orchestrated by Israel. Other outlets expressed support for the attack, even praising it, claiming that the rabbi who was killed during the massacre, Eli Schlanger, was a “staunch advocate of genocide in Gaza.”

The Iranian news agency Mehr openly called “the Zionist regime” the main suspect, portraying the attack as a “false flag” operation allegedly designed to serve Israeli interests.

Earlier this year, Britain, the United States, France, and 11 other allies issued a joint statement condemning a rise in Iranian assassination and kidnapping plots in the West, as a new report warned Tehran has been intensifying efforts to target Jewish communities abroad.

With a surge in assassination, kidnapping, and harassment plots targeting individuals in multiple countries, Western allies urged Iranian authorities to halt these illegal actions, noting how the regime continues to promote antisemitism abroad and recruits criminal networks to carry out attacks against Jews.

Iran is facing mounting international pressure not only over its terror operations abroad but also for its escalating brutal internal crackdown amid growing domestic tensions and crises.

According to Iran Human Rights Monitor (IHR), a Norway-based NGO that tracks the death penalty in the country, at least 1,791 people have been executed this year, marking a staggering rise from the 993 executions recorded in 2024.

Most of those executed were accused of collaborating with Mossad — Israel’s national intelligence agency — and aiding covert operations in Tehran, such as assassinations and sabotage targeting the country’s nuclear program.

With at least 61 women among those executed, Iran remains the world’s leading executioner on a per capita basis, using capital punishment as a tool of repression, fear, and ideological control.

Last week, a group of survivors, together with the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC), filed a criminal complaint in Argentina accusing Iranian authorities of crimes against humanity committed during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests.

In a first-ever legal action of its kind, survivors of the regime’s atrocities filed a criminal complaint against 40 named Iranian officials, alleging gender persecution, murder, torture, and other brutal acts, including targeted blinding, in response to the regime’s brutal 2022 crackdown.

With this lawsuit, plaintiffs are asking the Argentine court to investigate senior figures in Iran’s intelligence services, military, police, the IRGC, and civilian government for their roles in a widespread and systematic assault on civilians.

Among those filing the complaint is Mahsa Piraei, one of Minoo Majidi’s three children, seeking justice for her 62-year-old mother who was shot dead in September 2022.

According to autopsy reports, more than 167 metal pellets were fired into her back at point-blank range.

“In our own country, we could not find justice for my mother’s killing, as the judiciary is neither fair nor independent,” Piraei said. “But today, I am happy that this crime has not crushed our hope for justice, and that our efforts are finally bearing fruit.”

“With the help of human rights lawyers, we are taking our case to courts outside of Iran,” she continued. “I believe that our perseverance as families seeking justice, and our commitment to upholding human dignity, is a global cause that knows no borders.”

The 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests erupted nationwide after Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, died in a Tehran police station following her arrest for allegedly violating Iran’s hijab rules, igniting a nationwide uprising calling for human rights and individual freedoms.

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Israel’s Consul General in New York: Attempts to Isolate Jewish Communities From Israel ‘Will Fail’

Ofir Akunis, the consul general of Israel in New York, delivering a speech at the Altneu Synagogue on Dec. 21, 2025. Photo: Ohad Kab Photography

The Consul General of Israel in New York Ofir Akunis said in a statement shared with The Algemeiner that attempts to separate Jewish communities from the State of Israel will not work.

“Recently, we have been witnessing an attempt aimed at separating Jewish communities from the State of Israel. I say here in the clearest terms: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people. As in the past, any attempt to separate the communities from the Jewish state will fail,” Akunis said on Sunday.

He made the remarks the same day that he spoke at an event held at the Altneu Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to mark the conclusion of Hanukkah. The event was attended by elected officials, international diplomats, Jewish community leaders, and others.

Sunday night’s gathering took place exactly one week after the deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 14 in which 15 people – including a rabbi, Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl – were murdered. A day later, a group of Israeli Jewish men were violently assaulted on a New York subway while returning home from doing Hanukkah outreach, according to Chabad.org. Two of the victims attended Sunday night’s gathering, and Akunis led attendees in applauding the two men for standing strong during the attack.

“I know this year’s celebration has felt a bit hard to celebrate after witnessing many attacks against our people over the last week. From the Jewish community of Sydney, Australia, and 15 innocent souls being taken to us, to the two Chabad [emissaries] being physically attacked on the New York subway,” Akunis said. “If the story of the Maccabees and the story of Hanukkah has taught us something, it’s that our resilience and strength will always overcome the darkness and baseless hatred.

“The Maccabees fought back and stood strong,” he continued. “They know their fighting was going toward the greater good — the idea that we are not weak Jews with trembling knees. These same values that the Maccabees stood for then is the same that our modern Maccabees stand for now, the brave and young soldiers of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].” The consul general further praised IDF soldiers for having bravery and courage that is “built on morality, truth, and faith.”

Akunis also addressed the global surge in antisemitism. “To keep silent now is the same as encouraging it – antisemitism,” he said. “So, speak up, stand strong against antisemitism, and don’t you dare think we will be your victims again.”

“Now is the time to wake up before it is too late,” he added. “If we join together, and continue to spread our light and values, stand up for the truth and be resilient like our nation has been throughout our long journey, evil will not win. It will not beat us and will not beat Western civilization.”

Sunday night’s gathering was also attended by Shira Gvili, the sister of Ran Gvili, who is the last hostage still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after being abducted from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Akunis’ comments on Sunday echo similar sentiments he expressed to The Algemeiner before the high holidays about Jewish unity and resilience.

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