Due to the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, over 250,000 Jewish residents have found themselves seeking refuge in the last month. Kharkov and Kyiv, two major cities in Ukraine, have stood under attack from Russian forces, with reports of hundreds of casualties. Ukraine is currently the largest sanctuary for Jewish refugees in eastern Europe, due to Jewish expulsion during World War II. As chaos continues to erupt in Ukraine, the Jewish population has found itself in need of a new sanctuary.

The current siege on Ukraine by the Russian Federation is forefronted by President Vladimir Putin, who began invading the country on Feb. 24, 2022. Previously known as the Soviet Union, Russia was once home to a large population of Jews, but they were banished during World War II. Jewish expulsion from Russia was not unique to World War II, as Empress Catherine II of Russia banished Jews in 1790 by establishing the Pale of Settlement, a 472,000-square-mile territory where Jews were forced to live. Modern-day Ukraine is a major part of that territory.

The current Jewish community in Ukraine has created deep roots in the country and has become embedded in its culture. This led to the Ukrainian Jewish community assisting Ukrainians in need during these hard times. Synagogues across Kharkov serve as shelters for Jewish citizens, delivering food to the hungry and helping rescue citizens in unsafe situations. Many believe the desire to stay and help the cause at home is inspired by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has stood on the front lines since the start of the conflict and is of Jewish ethnicity. This is a belief held by Rabbi Paul Steinberg at Kol Shofar Synagogue, a conservative synagogue in Tiburon.

“Part of the reason people have embraced Zelensky is [simple] — He doesn’t want a ride out. He’s asking for weapons. He has stayed [in Ukraine] and encouraged people to take up arms and fight. He has ensured a sense of national pride. This takes tremendous courage,” Rabbi Steinberg said.

The flood of evacuating citizens has led traffic on Ukraine’s western border to reach an all-time high over the past two weeks. This high-density traffic has made evacuation impractical for many. Romania, Ukraine’s southwestern bordering country, originally expressed their disinterest in taking in Jewish refugees, but the Jewish Federation of Romania successfully convinced the Romanian government to allow them passage across the border to reach the Bucharest Airport, where they can then seek refuge in Israel. However, over 10 percent of Jewish citizens lack documentation, making it a difficult process to evacuate.

According to the New York Times, the Israeli government is expecting 20,000 Ukrainian Jews to seek sanction in Israel. In a New York Times interview, Omer Hod, an Israeli Social worker with ancestors from the Moldova-Ukraine region, expressed the irony regarding the current situation and the differences in her generation’s willingness to express their Judaism as opposed to past generations.

“Back then, it was almost a shame to be Jewish,” Hod said. “Now, people want to show they are Jewish so that they can be evacuated.”

While there is a large number of Ukrainian Jews longing to seek refuge in Israel, and more than 2,000 Ukrainian Jews who have already been flown to safety, others are staying to help support those unable to leave, most notably President Zelensky. 

President Zelensky is one of the two Jewish heads of state in the world. Given the history of antisemitism in Ukraine, many see the presence of a Jewish president to be monumental. History teacher Nickolai Butkevich understands how much it means. 

“[Eastern European] countries have a lot of history with violence against Jews. I think what this shows is that in the last 30 years, Ukraine has changed for the better,” Butkevich said. 

Russian President Putin has justified his invasion of Ukraine as an attempt to “denazify” eastern Europe. Given the history of Jews in the area, and taking into account Zelensky’s ethnicity as a Jew, Butkevich discusses a prominent claim opposing Putin’s ideas.

“[Zelensky’s ethnicity] shows how ridiculous [Putin’s claims] are of trying to ‘denazify’ Ukraine. The president is Jewish. He is not a Nazi,” Butkevich said.

As the conflict progresses, it is predicted that Russian forces will continue to become increasingly violent, which may change the narrative on the homefront of Ukraine. It is unclear whether Jewish citizens will continue to stay and support the country or if they will inevitably all be forced to flee. To support the Ukrainian Jews, you can donate to the Ukraine Jewish relief fund, which has been established to provide services and assistance to Ukrainian Jews impacted by the war.