The Chabad rescue unit on Friday rescued an entire Jewish community from the Ukrainian city of Nizhyn in the Chernihiv Oblast of northern Ukraine amid heavy Russian shelling.

The Chabad rescue unit, formed by Rav of Kyiv Rav Moshe Azman, operates like an army unit with the sole goal of rescuing Jews from war-torn areas of Ukraine, at times under massive Russian aerial bombardment.

In order to rescue the Jews on Friday, a convoy of secure buses arrived at the area and after hours of being on the dangerous roads, the families arrived at the Brodsky shul in Kyiv, where they stayed for Shabbos. On Sunday, the kehilla members continued their journey to cross the border into one of the neighboring countries.

“The Jewish community is Nizhyn is small and cohesive,” one of the community members said. “In recent days the city had been under constant bombardment and the fear of being injured became palpable. When we understood that the situation had become dangerous, we contacted HaRav Azman, who immediately arranged for us to be rescued.”

The second Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Dovber Schneuri, zt’l, is buried in Nizhyn, and his grandson is buried next to him – the Nizhyn Rebbe, Reb Yisrael Noach Schneersohn, z’tl, the fourth son of the Tzemach Tzedek, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, z’tl.

After World War I, during the Russian Revolution, a number of programs took place in the city, and now terror reigns in the streets once again.

“We formed civilian rescue units that operate to rescue Jews from battle zones,” Rav Azman said. “We receive many many inquiries from Jews and sometimes from entire communities. People call crying on the phone – they’re terrified. It’s hard to hear it.”

“We try to help everyone who asks, and it’s not easy,” Rav Azman continued. “There are several steps in the rescue operations: receiving a request, location of the area, arriving with buses and vehicles, the actual rescue, arranging accommodations and food, and more. The costs are astronomical but we will not leave any Jew alone.”

The Chabad rescue unit works around the clock. It includes shlichei Chabad as well as local Ukrainians whom Rav Azman hired to assist in the dangerous operations.

“Last week, we saved an elderly Jew who was left alone without food and water. The same day, we rescued five members of a family whose street was bombed and almost completely decimated. The families were in terror and without food. Daven for us.”

Anyone who wishes to donate toward the rescue operations can click here.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)