Our Family in Ukraine

Dear Friends,

My heart and mind is with the Jewish communities in Ukraine, who have been living in

a war zone for more than a week. My fellow Chabad emissaries serve dozens of

communities with hundreds of schools, synagogues, yeshivas, social service organizations, orphanages, and more, all mostly built over the last 30 years.

A rendering of the Menorah Center in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, the largest Jewish community center in Europe.

This week's Torah portion describes the accounting Moses took of the donations from

the Jews towards the construction of the desert sanctuary. We read about how every single donation was accounted for, and by extension, every single Jew was included in one way or another.

This reminds us that every person’s contribution, no matter how big or small, is needed for G-d’s home, and today G-d’s home can be found everywhere—from

Panama to Ukraine. Sustaining Jewish communities and supporting Jews wherever they are is how we continue Moses’ legacy of ensuring that every single Jew is included and no detail is ever overlooked.

May the merit of building G-d a home in their communities stand by and protect our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, and may we see an immediate end to the conflict.

Additionally, there are currently Jewish families that are travelling, hoping to cross the border out of Ukraine. In situations of life and death, Torah tells us to choose life over keeping Shabbat. This week, they will not be able to light Shabbat candles. The families ask that we add in lighting, in their merit.

Candle lighting time in NYC is: 5:32 PM

With prayers for the ultimate redemption with the coming of Moshiach,

Rabbi Yehuda