Amid the war with Russia, tens of thousands of Jews in Ukraine celebrated Passover Seder.
Chabad emissaries and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine held public Seders in 45 cities across the country, striving to provide a sense of freedom and community in difficult times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a special congratulatory message to the Jews of the country. "This is a special holiday marking a long-awaited liberation after long periods of suffering and slavery," he wrote, emphasizing the value of freedom in light of the national struggle.
Rabbi Meir Stambler, chairman of the Federation, highlighted the spiritual significance of the holiday: "This is a war of darkness against light, of freedom against surrender and slavery."
In his remarks, he spoke about a special effort to distribute Passover kits to over 50,000 households, including soldiers at the front.
A special innovation this year was the distribution of small matzot to Jewish soldiers, the minimum acceptable size, with a diameter of only about 18 cm. This allowed them to perfom the commandment under the harsh conditions at the front.
"After 4 years of war," Rabbi Stambler concluded, "we pray and hope for the true and complete redemption - next year in Jerusalem!"