100 Days Since the War: Shliach Fulfills a Promise

By COLlive reporter

It has been 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine and the war continues to take a toll on the region. Despite the cities being in ruins and civil life destroyed, Rabbi Raphael Rutman is grateful to be alive.

Rutman, sent to Dnipro by the Rebbe in 1993 as a student emissary and now Executive Vice Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine, has remained in the country throughout.

When estimates said that the capital city of Kyiv would fall into Russian hands within several days, Rutman did not flee and promised that if he remained alive he would do something meaningful in the city.

Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands and Rutman has survived the Russian onslaught. So this week, he fulfilled his promise and was joined by fellow Shluchim for a humble ceremony before the holiday of Shavuos.

It was held outside Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the Independence Square in Kyiv’s Shevchenko Raion. Together, they printed a local edition of the holy book of Tanya, the foundational text of Chabad Chassidus authored by the Alter Rebbe.

Joining them for the ceremony were Kyiv Shliach Rabbi Mordechai Levenhartz, his son Simcha Levenhartz, and former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko representing his older brother, Vitali Klitschko, the current Mayor of Kyiv.

Jewish Federation Chairman Rabbi Meir Stambler, who arrived from Dnipro, praised the Mayor for his support of the Jewish community during the war and prayed for the welfare of the citizens and those fighting on the battlefield.

“We are about to celebrate the holiday of the giving of the Torah,” he said. “If we live according to the Torah – beyond human logic and according to Divine commandments, we will live in a better world and bring Redemption to humanity.”

With that, Rabbi Rutman clicked on the printer and began printing the Independence Square edition of the Tanya.