Ukrainian Jewry Prepares for a Special Purim

The Jewish communities throughout Ukraine are currently preparing to celebrate the second holiday of Purim since the crisis began. Last Purim chaos reigned in every corner. Now, the preparations for a different but special Purim are in full swing.

The rabbis of the Jewish communities and Chabad emissaries received huge shipments last week from the FJC and Chabad Relief network in Ukraine, the JRNU. They include beautiful kits that will be distributed to many thousands of Jews across the country.

The Purim kits will contain wine, mini sweets, fresh hamentashen, a magnificently illustrated scroll of Esther, a colorful rattle, and of course, a special informative page detailing all the holiday customs and traditions.

The boxes are being sorted by hundreds of volunteers in the communities, and will be distributed to the Jews of the country as part of the Purim events to be held in the various cities, including Purim feasts and parties, lectures and classes, and scroll readings around the clock in the Jewish centers.

“Who would have believed a year ago that on Purim, Ukraine would still be in this difficult situation,” says one of the community rabbis. “Our greatest efforts are to enable Jews to continue to lead a Jewish lifestyle, despite everything. I hope and pray that we will be able to celebrate Purim this year with the crisis behind us.”

Rabbi Mordechai Levinhartz, a rabbi in the city of Kyiv, says that he is preparing for a big and central event on the holiday of Purim. “We will try to reach as many Jews as possible and help them celebrate and observe the customs of Purim, even those who cannot make it to the event.”