The war in Ukraine is playing out in real time on social media. Jewish leaders, organizations and journalists are giving us an idea as to what life is looking like in the war torn country.
Ukraine’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is actively tweeting updates to the world. Zelensky is Jewish and has brought up his upbringing during the war.
Prime Minister of Israel @naftalibennett called me after his meeting with Vladimir Putin. We continue dialogue.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2022
For a more intimate look at the Zelensky family before the war his wife Olena’s Instagram is still active.
Humanitarian efforts
Joel Lion is Israel’s former ambassador to Ukraine is in the region helping coordinate relief efforts.
יתומים מבית היתומים של חב'ד באודסה הגיעו אליי לגבול מולדובה. ברוך השם.
— Joel Lion (@ambassadorlion) March 2, 2022
Thanks Hashem, Orphans of Chabad Odesa arrived safely in Moldova@IsraelMFA @YaelLenga pic.twitter.com/zZUGy3q6PK
The Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is a Jewish humanitarian organization with staff all over the world, including on the ground in Ukraine.
Yaacov Behrman is actively tweeting about the evacuations of Jewish communities in Ukraine.
Powerful moment: 140 women & children from Odessa spend Shabbas in Moldova. Before leaving for Germany, group sings “Spasiba Hashem”, thank you (g-d) for our rescue. They are with Odessa’s Rabbi Avraham & Chaya Wolff, who took responsibility for group. Men stayed in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/eub3gQqV94
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) March 6, 2022
Israel’s diplomatic efforts
Lahav Harkov is the diplomatic correspondent for the Jerusalem Post.
Ongoing thread of updates on Israeli PM Bennett's attempts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine here: https://t.co/FJXe7gWvQw
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) March 6, 2022
Tweeting in English and Hebrew, Tal Schneider is the Political Correspondent for the Times of Israel.
.@IsraelMFA is setting a field hospital in Ukraine with Israel’s Health Ministry, Sheba Hospital, Clalit Health Insurance.
— Tal Schneider טל שניידר تال شنايدر (@talschneider) March 6, 2022
Also, Israel is sending 6 big Electric generator to Lviv Hospital &will continue to maintain refugee assistance centers (Jews and non-Jews) at the crossings.
Analysis
Lt. Col Alexander Vindman (ret.) is the former director for European affairs for the United States National Security Council. Vindman made headlines for being a whistleblower, testifying on former President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukraine’s then newly elected president. Vindman was born to Jewish parents in Soviet Ukraine and grew up in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood.
Good pic of Ze-man @ZelenskyyUa and his minister of defense.
— Alexander S. Vindman (@AVindman) February 27, 2022
… oh, also Putin and his MoD.
Making us Ukrainian Jewish boys look good. #HereRightMatters pic.twitter.com/y31dcFUSyv
Yair Rosenberg is the writer of the “DEEP SHTETL” newsletter at The Atlantic.
My latest: I spoke to a rabbi who led hundreds of Jewish orphans from Odessa across the Carpathian Mountains, as they were forced to flee over the Jewish sabbath in the face of Russia's onslaught.
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) March 2, 2022
This is what Putin's "denazification" actually looks like: https://t.co/ICz9SguFiN
John Kunza is publisher of Unpacked and a former foreign news producer for NBC News.
Israel’s Orthodox president travels on Shabbat to Russia to speak with Putin. Remember, Israel is fighting a proxy war against Russia in Syria. He then talks to the Jewish president of Ukraine. Then the Israeli PM travels to Berlin. All of this is incredibly complicated.
— Johnny Kunza (@johnkunza) March 6, 2022
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Originally Published Mar 7, 2022 06:18AM EST