A Russian drone struck near the residence of Rabbi Liron Edri, the rabbi of the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, on Thursday night, causing damage to his home. No injuries were reported, as Rabbi Edri and his family were away at the time of the impact.
Kryvyi Rih, home to more than 500,000 people, is among Ukraine’s largest urban centers and serves as the heart of the country’s steel industry. The city is also recognized as the birthplace of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has an estimated Jewish population of about 5,000.
Jewish leaders in Ukraine say attacks affecting Jewish sites have become so frequent that they have stopped keeping a precise tally. In just the last six months, more than ten incidents involving synagogues, rabbis’ residences, and Jewish cemeteries have been documented, with some cases suspected of being deliberate.
Describing the broader reality facing civilians, Rabbi Edri said, “People are freezing from the cold due to Russian attacks targeting electricity and energy facilities. It is a very difficult and challenging winter, and we need a great deal of heavenly mercy, but they will not break us. I, together with my fellow Chabad emissaries throughout Ukraine, am staying here to help the communities.”
In a statement, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine expressed support for the rabbi and those remaining in the country. The organization said, “We strengthen the hands of Rabbi Edri, who works in his city with astonishing dedication. It is very important that the world not forget the hundreds of thousands of Jews living here, as well as the hundreds of Chabad emissary families who did not leave Ukraine and remain here under constant bombardment, enduring terrible and threatening conditions, without electricity and sometimes without water. At the same time, we will continue to adhere to our mission and intensify it even further.”
{Matzav.com}
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