War From Day One: Children Who Know No Peace Begin the School Year in Odesa
The opening of the school year at the Jewish Or Avner Chabad School in Odesa carried special significance this year. Among the 127 children from the Mishpacha orphanage who attend the school are children who were born just before the war began and have never known a day without sirens, shelters, or the fear that lurks beneath everyday life • Full Story
Children of War
Among the children celebrating the traditional first school bell were those whose earliest memories of the world were shaped by the sounds of explosions and the shadows of war.
Last week, for one moment, everything stopped. Instead of fear, there were smiles. Instead of a shelter, there was a new schoolbag on their backs.
Welcome to the Jewish Or Avner Chabad School in Odesa.
The opening of the school year carried special significance this year. Among the 127 children from the Mishpacha orphanage who attend the school are children who were born just before the war began and have never known a day without sirens, shelters, or the fear that has become part of everyday life.
“Who would have believed that the war would continue for so many years?” members of the educational staff said. “But life is stronger than anything and these children are the most beautiful proof of that.”
Rebbetzin Chaya Wolff, who runs the orphanage together with her husband, Rabbi Avraham Wolff, Chief Rabbi of Odesa and Southern Ukraine, added with pain: “These are children who grew up in a reality that no child in the world should have to know. And this week, despite everything, they took a giant step forward—toward their future, toward life.”
Under the large sign proudly proclaiming “We Are All One Family!”, the children stood singing, dancing, and embracing the educators whom they call “Abba” and “Imma.”
“Every child who walks into first grade today is a victory for life over those who seek to extinguish our light and hope,” Rabbi Wolff said. “We are here to ensure that these children receive what every child in the world deserves—education, security, and above all, a childhood filled with joy, laughter, hope, and the belief that tomorrow will be a better day.”
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