Home before the first snowfall

Igor, Yulija and their three young children Maksim, Elizabeta and Oleksandr (photo) left on Monday, October 20th from Chernovtsy (near the Romanian border) to Kiev. We brought them and an elderly couple to Kiev, where our Alijah co-worker Nataliya welcomed them with a hearty meal and the necessary time to do some catching up.

Igor (with Elizabeta on his lap), Yuliya, Maksim and Oleksandr shortly before their departure to Israel
Photo: C4I

When I asked why Igor and Yulija are leaving for Israel, both replied: “We are finally going home!” I was curious to know what ‘finally’ means. “Well, we made a mistake by going to Germany at first, and when we returned to the Ukraine one year later, we considered our future. Going to Israel was a thought, in the back of our minds, which we postponed time and again! But, in view of the current situation and future uncertainty in the Ukraine, it is time to ‘go home’ to Israel.”

This family, and many other immigrants (‘olim’), had to be at the airport at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21st. There they received their flight tickets from the Jewish Agency, and they were given an explanation of procedures on arriving in Tel Aviv. As we parted, the olim said: “Visit us in Israel!” And, although we promised to do so, we do not know when it will be possible.

On Thursday evening, October 23rd, the first cold spell in the Ukraine brought lots of snow and the first taste of misery on the roads! But our busses are ready for the approaching winter!

We will make a few trips, again to a new location, next week, to transport a total of twenty olim to Kiev! And new requests, from Jewish refugees in the East needing assistance with accommodation and the necessary documentation to leave for Israel, keep coming in.

Kind regards from all of us in the Ukraine,

Koen Carlier

Food Parcel distribution project

With winter approaching, many Jewish people in the Ukraine depend on our food parcel distribution project. Please support this project. € 10 or $ 14 provides one Jewish person with a complete food parcel. When making online donations, please specify ‘Food parcel action, Ukraine’.

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