Tzvi-Hirsh (Grisha) Zurgazda, age 32, a father of two and a well-known member of Odessa’s Jewish community, was killed in combat last Thursday while serving near Kherson. He is the third Jewish serviceman to lose his life in Ukraine’s ongoing war effort over the past two weeks.
Zurgazda was a soldier in the 34th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a unit responsible for safeguarding the southern part of the country, including strategic river inlets and coastal zones along the Black Sea.
Having studied at Or Avner – Chabad Jewish School in Odessa, Zurgazda was deeply rooted in Jewish life. He had trained professionally as a chef and dreamed of one day launching Odessa’s first kosher restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The conflict put those ambitions on hold.
“Tzvi-Hirsh was a child of our community,” said Rabbi Abraham Wolf, Chief Rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine. “He lived a life of tradition and community. He sacrificed his life to defend his homeland and his people — both as a Ukrainian soldier and as a proud Jew. My heart aches for him.”
Rabbi Wolf continued, “I pray that his bravery and legacy will be a guiding light for his children, his family, and for all of us. The entire community mourns his loss and supports his loved ones during this painful time.”
Yakov Sinyakov, who oversees Jewish military personnel on behalf of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU), received official notification of Zurgazda’s passing from the Ukrainian armed forces. He promptly began working to bypass an autopsy and facilitate a Jewish burial in Odessa later this week, which Rabbi Wolf is expected to attend.
Zurgazda is survived by his wife and their two children, Elissa, age four, and Lev, age five.
His passing follows two other recent Jewish military deaths in Ukraine.
One week ago, Andrey Korovetsky, who taught at a Chabad school in Zhytomyr and also served as a soldier, died after suffering a heart attack on active duty. He had previously sustained injuries in battle, returned to serve, and ultimately passed away due to cardiac failure in the line of duty.
Two weeks ago, Maxim Nelipa—a well-known actor and television journalist—was killed while fighting in eastern Ukraine. Nelipa had built a successful media career prior to the invasion but chose to enlist when war erupted. He distinguished himself in combat and had just been promoted to company commander before being fatally struck. His son Artyom, currently serving in Israel’s Golani Brigade, was notified of his father’s death while stationed in Gaza.
Rabbi Meir Stambler, head of the Federation of Jewish Communities, noted that the war has claimed the lives of over 200 Jewish servicemen. “We work closely with Chabad emissaries to arrange Jewish funerals, offer financial support to grieving families, and recite Kaddish in memory of these heroes,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
