Under the pretext of “blaming” Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin began a war with his neighbors.However, after decades of devastation and migration due to the Holocaust and Soviet repression, the Jewish community, which lived until a month ago, is evacuating believers.
In the center of the port city of Odessa and the only open Chavad synagogue among the four that existed before the war, about 20 Jews came to recite the morning prayer, Shaharit, and to work or volunteer in the city. Where there is great tension due to the possible attack of Russia.
However, the synagogue is different than it used to be. Because now the wooden bench seems almost empty compared to the way it was filled before February 24.
According to data from the Jewish community provided to Efe, out of the 25,000 Jews registered in the largest Odessa community in the United States, at least 5,000 were evacuated to Moldova since the beginning of the war.
The rest are not suitable for leaving because they stayed with relatives or are men and they are old enough to be called by the military to fight the Russians.
“Non-arson? Lie”
Zvi Hirsh, the director of the Jewish Museum in Odessa, opens the door to a small hidden space that houses the remains of the Holocaust and the migration of Jews throughout the 20th century.
He tells Efe that he lived for 25 years in this coastal city, the so-called pearl of the Black Sea, that “no one” looked at him badly on the street or “insulted” him because he was a Jew.
“What I understand is that Putin is lying.” He speaks of accusations, noting in his speech that the point of invasion of Ukraine “does not make sense”.
Putin argues that the settlement of the dispute with Ukraine will be possible only if he takes into account the “legitimate security interests” of Russia and the “demilitarization and slander” of the Ukrainian state, including the “sovereignty of Crimea”, which was illegally annexed in 2014 in a neutral state.
At the end of the prayer, Abraham Wolf, a senior rabbi from Odessa and southern Ukraine, sits in the office and runs away and receives several calls, including his wife in Germany.
Originally from Israel, he arrived in Odessa at the age of 22, but 30 years of working in the city for the Jewish community were “gone”, says Efe.
“For 30 years, what I have achieved is gone. And everything happens in an instant. But it's what God wants. I do my job and this is the result.”
Rabbi says that he understands that Putin made a mistake in relation to the “blame”, but he does not want to talk about politics.
“Three plus one equals four, but now (for him) 1 plus 1 is a million.” He hints at the fact that the Russian president made a big mistake in initiating an invasion under the justification of “accusations”.
tolerant
Rabbi points out that before the war there were exclusively two Jewish nurseries, two orphanages, an elementary school, and even a Jewish university in the city. There are a total of 11 buildings dedicated to the Jewish community, including four synagogues. “But now everything is closed.” He says.
Wolf says that the occupation of Russia will continue even if it arrives in the city, because Odessa is one of the most imminent goals of the Moscow army.
It refers to two acquaintances who are in two Ukrainian cities that are currently occupied by Russia and do not want to openly reveal more details and continue to work.
“We are doing everything for the Jewish community. I don't know what will happen, but I don't want to look for an explanation, I don't want to imagine or imagine it.” He says. Another person who does not want to “talk about politics” because he says “there is no time” is Oleg, 40 years old, and wears a sweatshirt from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
“I don't have time to read the news, but I know that I help those who need it.” He was asked about the “blame” of the state.
Christina, a Ukrainian and American Jew who accompanied the evacuation work, tells Efe that there is no reason to say that the country is “Nazi” in Ukraine.
(Including information from EFE)
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