Chabad Teens Run Summer Camp During Ukraine War
For a month this summer the sounds of laughter, Chasidic pop tunes and classic Jewish camp chants could be heard coming from an obscure campground in the Zhytomir region in Western Ukraine. In the region mired by war and conflict, Camp Yeka, short for Yekatrinoslav (as Dnepropetrovsk, the city where the camp was originally located, was formerly known) provided a fun respite to Jewish children living in the embattled Eastern European country.
From The Times of Israel:
A group of Chabad Hasidic boys in their late teens and early 20s, came to Ukraine to run the camp for local children this summer. They hosted over 100 boys between the ages of six and 17 from 15 cities across Ukraine and the Crimea.
For one month, the campers, many of whom hailed from cities on the front lines of the conflict such as Donetsk and Kharkov, could enjoy a lull from the tension that has embroiled the region since February. Ukraine has been in turmoil since late last year when protests set off a series of events that led to the ousting of the president in February, and subsequent clashes between government forces and pro-Russian separatists.
The conflict has claimed thousands of lives in the last six months, and showed no signs of letting up as Ukraine marked their 23rd Independence Day last month.
But for one month at camp the biggest stress on the campers minds’ was beating the opposing team at soccer.
Impressed
Wow these Yeka boys never cease to amaze me! Shluchim world wide should get in touch with these Bochurim on how to run a Gan Yisroel the right way from the fundraising to the camp itself to the keeping in touch with the campers these guys are doing it right! Boruch Hashem! Continue giving the Rebbe much nachas!
ch resident
I just want to say that I’m privileged that I gave money to this amazing cause. Because It’s one of the best causes around and its all down to these amazing bochurim and I think everyone in lubavitch should look up to them to see what’s a true chasid
Shaya k
Its so good to see how these bochrim really go so far fundraising the money to every detail of the camp and especially keeping in touch with the children in Ukraine now and thru out the year with chanukahvisit to them and a pPasach camp as well these children in Ukraine especially in war times feel that these bochrim are there for them and really care, this helps these kids who have nothing a sense of pride being Jewish and helps them Begashmiyus Uberuchniyus.
Keep it up.
I will donate as I have in the past and I hope you all will as well.
the nachman yalmuke
How appropriate, Nachman from Uman yalkmuke in Ukraine, that is nachas, beautiful picture
Amazing
B”H these bochurim were successful in their efforts to “give the gift of summer” to these children. Fundraising isn’t easy, running a camp, thinking in advance of all the details and then giving the kids an amazing summer b’gur – all in a foreign country in a foreign language.
Kol Hakavod to Chaim Leiter and the rest of this wonderful group of bochurim, and to all those who contributed and helped change the lives of these children..