In the shadow of the ongoing war in Ukraine, 18 Chabad Yeshiva bochurim will fly to Ukraine in the upcoming days to assist the local Chabad rabbis with preparations for the month of Tishrei and its holidays.
This trip of the young men is organized by Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch as part of the “Merkos Shlichus” project founded by the Rebbe over half a century ago.
Prior to their trip, Vice Chairman of Merkos Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky hosted the bochurim in New York for a special preparatory meeting with the participation of his son Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky and Rabbi Shlomo Peles, who assists Jewish communities of Ukraine and the former Soviet Union.
Rabbi Kotlarsky shared instructions he received from the Rebbe over the years and requested that each bochur write a report and send it to the Rebbe’s Ohel in Queens.
During the meeting, the bochurim received an overview of the war in Ukraine and the security measures that need to be taken. The bochurim will be traveling to the cities of Odesa, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy and Uzhgorod.
Their travel and visit is being coordinated by Chabad Jewish Relief Network of Ukraine. Coordinator Itamar Wolf is equipping each bochur will be taking along various items related to the holidays, alongside thousands of mezuzahs which they will install in the homes of the Jews in the communities.
Shluchim in Ukraine are planning a full schedule of davening, meals, classes and programs over Tishrei despite the ongoing war. They will also be distributing thousands of meals and food packages to individuals and families across the country.
Wow this is incredible! Mesiras nefesh of today. Look at this young bochurim ready to go!!
The show must be go on making the rebbe proud