In a moving Tu BiShevat ceremony held today at the Perlina-Or Avner Jewish School in Kyiv, students planted special seedlings cultivated by young women with special needs from the employment program of the Ohel Sarah organization in Israel. The seedlings were planted in the schoolyard, which was damaged by a Russian UAV attack four months ago.

The special event was attended by Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence at Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense; the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky; the ambassadors of Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Austria, and Estonia; the head of the European Union delegation; deputy ambassadors from Canada, Poland, and Lithuania; and consuls from the United States, Hungary, Spain, and Finland.

“This planting symbolizes much more than renewal,” said Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv. “When seedlings nurtured with love by young women with special needs in Israel are planted in a place that has suffered destruction, we see how profound our ability is to influence, rebuild, and grow anew.”

The Chabad JCC community in Kyiv works throughout the year to support individuals with special needs. Among its many initiatives, it operates the only Jewish kindergarten in Ukraine serving children with special needs.

The annual Tu BiShevat plantings in Kyiv, led by Rabbi Markovitch, have become a tradition that strengthens the bond between the local Jewish community and Israel. This year, Rabbi Markovitch chose to integrate the Ohel Sarah employment program into the ceremony, incorporating the initiative in which young women with special needs cultivate and prepare seedlings. “This is a circle of giving,” Rabbi Markovitch added. “Even in challenging times, we continue to connect communities, build the future, and plant hope.”

(AP)