There are growing fears that the civil unrests in Kiev will result in increased anti-Semitism. On Monday morning 24 Adar I, four masked men targeted a shul in Zbarazh in a firebomb attack. The four managed to flee the scene before a watchman could apprehend any of them.
JDN reports that Chabad shaliach in the city, Rabbi Nachum Ehrentreu Shlita, who has been serving as the city and district rav for 17 years, announced efforts to protect the shul and mispallalim are ongoing. The shul complex is fenced in, there is an electric gate, and there are closed circuit TV cameras operating 24 hours daily.
The elegant shul was opened two years ago, donated by philanthropist R’ Yisrael Dovartzki, who is close to Rav Ehrentreu. Tens of Yidden are mispallel in the shul daily, and there are 800 mispallalim on yomim tovim. The shul building is the heart of the kehilla, and it is estimated that there are 10,000 Jews in the entire district.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
An article like this should mention the extent of damages, if any
So now, not to worry, President Obama will take action like he said he would, right?
To Commenter No. 2: What would you have the United States do about the likely rise of anti-Semitism that can be expected when a European nation is in turmoil? (i) Send US armed forces Ukraine to take sides in the dispute, or keep peace, or protect synagogues? (ii) Permit all Jews in Ukraine to migrate to the US? (iii) Impose trade and financial sanctions on Ukraine until the anti-Semites behave better? These questions are not only rhetorical. What can the US, by itself or with its allies – UK, France, Russia (just kidding about that last one), United Nations (kidding again, but maybe not) actually do to protect the Jews of Ukraine?