Members of the Jewish kehilla in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, say that the electricity supply to the Kishinev and other cities in the country has been severely affected by the damage to the power plants in Ukraine, Kikar H’Shabbat reported on Tuesday.
“There’s a major power outage of 10 to 14 hours at least three times a week and we also had a 20-hour outage,” says Michael Finkel of Agudas Yisrael – the main kehilla in Kishinev. “Over half a million residents of the capital are freezing in the cold without electric heating or generators.”
The lack of electricity is also a danger for the elderly and patients dependent on medical equipment, including oxygen machines.
Chief Rabbi of Moldova HaRav Pinchas Saltzman said: “We operate a gemach in the kehilla for medical equipment and home oxygen machines. We’re now trying to find solutions for patients who need oxygen generators and medical equipment that requires a connection to electricity.”
“The elderly, women, toddlers and children sit for long hours without lighting and heating, exposed to intense cold which may exacerbate winter illnesses like the flu. If the situation continues like this, it could be life-threatening.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
There could be legitimate reasons why some Jews need to live there but wouldn’t a greater way of helping be to move them to a viable frum community in the USA Canada or Israel?
my family comes from this place, they left 1903 others much later to find themselves in Chile Argentina Israel America and other places….why people remain here is abominable, there is no reason a jew can not come to Israel and live like a jew….this only acts as a encumbrance on all of us Jews….the is nasty sad and you should have left…..asking for savior better come to Israel…..period..my money doesn’t go to Russian hands…it will never go to the jews
To be a chief rabbi you need more than one rabbi there
And on top of that, the country is next to Ukraine, with one province already occupied by Russians. If the Russians decide to expand the war, Moldova (previously known as Bessarabia), that may be a very bad place to be.
Why anyone frum would want to live there is questionable.
Israel should immediately start evacuating all Jews remaining in Moldova.
Sara Rifka-
What a despicable way to speak about your fellow Jews!
There are many reasons people cannot just up and move to Israel-jobs, shelter, language barrier, elderly relatives, etc. Are you volunteering to house these Jews? To feed them? Give them jobs? Act as a translator for those that don’t know Hebrew?
Unless you’re willing to shoulder their burdens, maybe think twice about how you speak about other Jews who have been unable to leave their host countries.