Purim Deliveries in Ukraine Mark 4 Years of War

By COLlive staff

Four years after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, and amid a deep national crisis, Jewish communities representing tens of thousands of families across the country are preparing for Purim under challenging conditions.

In the city of Kryvyi Rih, the holiday presents significant obstacles. “For months now, electricity has been available in homes for only three hours a day,” said Rabbi Liron Edri, Chabad Shliach and the city’s rabbi. “That means heating systems are shut down in severe winter weather. Recently, our mikvah and our home, which serves the Jewish community, were damaged by a drone strike.”

Despite these difficulties, registration for holiday events is full and preparations are in full swing. “Before the festive meal, we are organizing a costume party for children and adults, and dozens have already signed up. More than 200 people have registered for the Purim meal itself. We are all praying to merit a true ‘venahafoch hu,’ that the situation will be transformed and that all residents will experience light and joy.”

Rabbi Menachem Glitsenstein, rabbi of Chernivtsi, said that with more than 20 hours a day without electricity, bringing joy to the community is both urgent and essential. “When it is dark and cold outside, our role is to increase joy and bring the spirit of the holiday to the Jews of our city,” he said.

He described plans for a Purim feast for hundreds of participants. “Instead of spending another day in a cold and dark apartment, they will enjoy a rich meal in a warm and welcoming setting.” In parallel, young community members will deliver hundreds of mishloach manot packages to elderly and disabled residents, bringing the holiday directly to their doorsteps. “Our goal is clear: that the joy of Purim reaches every Jew.”

The Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU), Chabad’s emergency relief network in the country, has launched one of the largest Purim operations since the start of the war. In recent weeks, preparations were completed to distribute 24,000 mishloach manot packages in 25 major cities and regions, as well as in hundreds of small and isolated villages, some still struggling with damage to basic infrastructure.

Thousands of humanitarian food packages will also be distributed to families in need, many with young children. “There are families who have not been able to make ends meet for years,” said one Chabad Shliach in the capital, Kyiv. “Purim is a holiday of joy, but first there must be food on the table.”

At JRNU’s central warehouses, volunteers are working around the clock in shifts. Trucks move in and out, packing lines operate continuously, and thousands of boxes are stacked for distribution. “It looks like a military operation,” said Rabbi Simcha Levenhertz, who oversees Chabad’s emergency and delivery operations in Kyiv, “but it is an operation of kindness and giving.”

The Purim packages include hamantaschen baked in Israel, graggers, snacks, cookies and grape juice. The humanitarian parcels contain poultry, dairy products, oil, sugar, natural juices, ketchup, mayonnaise, honey cookies, additional baked goods, pasta, rice, buckwheat, oats, corn, tea and coffee.

This year, due to the continuing crisis, an additional component has been added: emergency equipment. Alongside the Purim and food packages, generators, fuel, heating units and energy solutions have been sent to communities in areas where electricity remains unstable.

“In some places, power outages are a daily occurrence,” Rabbi Levenhertz said. “It is impossible to speak about celebrating a holiday when homes are freezing.”

Chabad Shluchim report a sharp rise in requests for assistance. “The economic reality is difficult, and the war has left wounds that have not healed,” said one. “We are doing everything possible to reach every location, even villages accessible only by off-road vehicles.”