Water Crisis in Kherson: Shluchim Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Jewish Community
Amid a worsening water and energy crisis in Kherson, humanitarian aid was delivered to the city’s Jewish community with the assistance of local Shliach Rabbi Yossi Wolf and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU). With access to safe drinking water severely disrupted by repeated attacks on local water and energy infrastructure, hundreds of Jews remaining in the city are facing increasingly difficult conditions • Full Report, Photos
The humanitarian situation in Kherson has deteriorated as repeated attacks on water and energy infrastructure have disrupted the pumps responsible for supplying drinking water. Power outages have also affected essential services, including the refrigeration of medications.
In response, Rabbi Yossi Wolff, Chief Rabbi and Shliach in Kherson, turned to the FJCU for urgent assistance for the hundreds of Jews who remain in the city. Following military authorization for the delivery to enter the heavily attacked city near the front lines, five aid workers set out with a truck carrying large quantities of drinking water, as well as food, medicines, baby formula, diapers, wipes, clothing and hygiene supplies for local families.
Despite the difficult conditions in Kherson since the beginning of the war, the previous time such a truck set out for the city was approximately three and a half years ago, following its liberation from Russian forces that had occupied it.
As was the case then, the aid truck took more than 30 hours to cover the 300 kilometers separating Kherson from the city of Dnipro, where the Federation’s offices and warehouses are located. The lengthy journey was due to the numerous checkpoints along the route, the city’s closure to civilians because of frequent shelling and the threat of mines, and the fact that trucks are only permitted to enter with a military escort.
Only after Federation leadership worked with senior Ukrainian military and government officials was the necessary authorization finally secured, allowing the truck to enter the city. Upon arriving at the plaza outside the main shul and Chabad House, several local Jews helped unload the truck during an extended effort.
Meanwhile, in recent days, a separate operation was completed to deliver clothing, toiletries and hygiene products directly to Jewish homes in a number of smaller cities near the front lines, ahead of the Yomim Tovim.
7
Join ChabadInfo's News Roundup and alerts for the HOTTEST Chabad news and updates!
Related Posts:
Most Popular
New Videos
Editor's Picks
