The Bonds That Bind Us to Ukraine
It has been hard not to feel powerless or scared in the past couple of weeks as the situation in Ukraine worsens and we have woken up today to the reality of war in Europe. There’s a sense of incredulousness, of not being able to accept that this might be a reality, after everything we have been through in the past two years, there’s also a sense of grief, knowing what this will cost families and young people there. And there is fear, for all the friends and family we might know in Ukraine and the neighbouring regions, for the Jewish communities there, and for all those caught up in the violence.
There’s an old Talmudic saying; כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה (kol yisrael arevim ze bazeh), all Israel are guarantors for each other. We all share a bond of solidarity, strength, support and responsibility. It’s hard to know how to help, how to be a guarantor in this situation, but if you watch the two videos below, you will hear from local Ukrainian Jews and rabbis about what solidarity means in practice. There are the donations that will make a big difference, so that they can continue to support the 40 progressive Jewish communities across the country, but also having Shabbat services in solidarity, learning about the conflict, listening and talking about it makes a difference.
“In the light of the recent conflict on the Ukrainian border, the World Union for Progressive Judaism has launched the Ukraine Crisis Fund. We ask people from all over the world to make donations towards the support of the Jewish community in Ukraine. Money will be spent on individuals and communities to ensure their safety and wellbeing. If the conflict escalates further, your money will become crucial and a necessary help for many people. If the tension eases, the fund will be spent on the development of the progressive Jewish community in Ukraine.
The rabbis in Ukraine are currently trying to ensure safety and wellbeing and provide pastoral support to their communities. Some of them decided to move Torah scrolls to safe places, help community leaders and congregants to move further from the Russian border and organise security for their synagogues” (WUPJ.org)
The two progressive Rabbis in Ukraine; Alexander Dukhovny and Julia Gris, were both ordained at Leo Baeck College, and as Rabbi Dukhovny says in one of the videos, in this situation he is reminded of the Tesco slogan that he used to see when living in London, that ‘Every little helps’.
If you are looking for a way to express solidarity and practical support to the Ukrainian Jewish community and our Rabbis there, please have a look at this link and donate.
As soon as we know of any online solidarity services we will email the information, as well as any other work being done to help.
Let us begin Shabbat with these wise words from a prayer by Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah that were written this morning, in reaction to the devastating news.
“Meanwhile, as ordinary people everywhere, like ourselves, witness the horror and feel helpless and hopeless in the face of overwhelming events beyond our control, we ask You to enable us to understand that we are not powerless to help, that our deeds, however small, matter, and that above all, knowing that despair is the dearest friend of tyrants, we have the obligation to hope and to demonstrate our constant fidelity to the enduring values of peace and freedom, equality and justice. May this be our will. And let us say: Amen”.
These videos might help you to understand the situation from the Ukrainian perspective:
Click here to hear about Ukraine and the new Ukraine Crisis Fund.