In the spirit of sharing, reflecting and promoting peace, members of OZ have created this space for community reflection and action items.
We are starting with the following items, and hope to add more with support of our community.
- Places to donate
- Comments and a musical performance from OZ community members
- Rabbi Amy’s reflections
- Messages from our community to Rabbi Dukhovny of Ukraine and a message and photo from the Rabbi
- Link(s) to articles
- Prayer(s) for Ukraine
If you have ideas or would like to contribute to this page or take action related to Ukraine, please contact us!
Links to Relief Organizations
WUPJ Ukraine Crisis Fund – World Union for Progressive Judaism
OZ Hebrew School’s Letter to our Lawmakers
OZ member Michael Schaal’s comments and prayers from OZ’s ‘Refugee Shabbat’ March 4, 2022
Prayer for Ukraine by Mykola Lysenko, March 4, 2022
This video and performance was created by OZ Hebrew School Alumni Layla (cello) with her Oberlin Conservatory classmates Miriam (violin) Emily (violin), Victoria (viola) and Layla (cello).
Rabbi Amy’s comments regarding her participation in b mitzvah ceremony and meeting Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny in Cherkassy, Ukraine:
I was recalling my visit to Kyiv and Cherkassy, Ukraine, with the Jewish Federation of MetroWest, NJ about 15 years ago. I was asked to join MetroWest Fe
deration lay leaders who were supporting the Ukraine Jewish community in social services and emerging Jewish education. My role was to visit several sick and elderly, bringing them our gifts and support, and to lead Shabbat services. The highlight of my visit there was officiating at the b mitzvahs of 14 kids … read more…
Messages to Rabbi Dukhovny of Ukraine from the Ohavi Zedek Community, March 2022:
The following messages were gathered by our community and sent to Rabbi Dukhovny by Rabbi Amy:
Our hearts are with you during this very difficult time and are sending our support along with our prayers – Rabbi Amy and Bob Small
Sending prayers and support to you and all Ukrainians at this terrible time. There has been enough suffering in Ukraine over the years, especially for Jews. Prayers for a quick resolution of this travesty of invasion. – ME, B&ML, B&ML, DL, JL and NL, M&MP
My great-grandmother, who is dear to my heart, grew up on what is now Ukrainian soil … read more…
Note from Rabbi Dukhovny to the OZ Community, March 2022
Dear Amy, please, thank on my behalf all those who shared their memories!We are together and are praying for peace and sovereignty of Ukraine 🇺🇦, which just started its way to build democracy! Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dukhovny shared the following photo of Kyiv.
Letter from Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny
The following letter was sent from Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny, and was shared by the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) on March 8, 2022.
Last Friday, after spending 10 days in the basement of an apartment building in Kyev with a longtime friend and dozens of other neighbors, and receiving news about Russian troops taking control of the nuclear plants in Chernobyl and Zaporizhya, we and the entire Hatikva congregation members got a message about a rescue bus sent by the joint Jewish organizations. We had two and a half hours to pack a small suitcase and leave. The bus ride took 16 hours on back roads and we crossed two checkpoints on the Ukraine-Moldova border. At 2am on Saturday we arrived at a Soviet-style military base in Kishinev, the capital of Moldova. There, after getting our tickets for a rescue flight to Israel, we received dozens of letters of support from old and new friends around the
world. We spoke with the Israeli Consul in Moldova – who was very helpful – and I took the opportunity to call the Hatikva congregants and give them some support. Read More…
Article(s):
A Prayer for Ukraine
