30 | MARCH 24 • 2022 

R

abbi Yaakov Bleich, a chief rabbi 
of Ukraine, is working around 
the clock to provide food, shel-
ter, safety and evacuation routes for 
Ukrainian Jews displaced by the ongoing 
crisis.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 
Feb. 24, Rabbi Bleich has spent his days 
moving between Poland and 
Hungary, helping refugees 
reach the border and orga-
nizing escape plans for those 
trapped within besieged cit-
ies like Kyiv, where he serves 
as rabbi of the Kyiv Main 
synagogue in Podol and 
vice president of the World 
Jewish Congress.
Rabbi Bleich, who is American-born 
and has worked in Kyiv since 1991, man-
aged to leave Ukraine just a few days 
before the war broke out. At the time, 
he was working back and forth between 
Ukraine and New York.
“He attempted to go right back [to 
Ukraine],” says Rabbi Avrohom Bleich, 
Yaakov’s brother, who is the rabbi at 
Congregation Bnai Israel-Beth Yehudah 
in Oak Park. “But he wasn’t able to get 
back in.”
Instead, Rabbi Yaakov Bleich did what 
he could from outside of the country. 
“Every single day since a few days before 
the war and until this very day, he has 
buses leaving his shul taking Jewish ref-
ugees out of Kyiv, those who are willing 
and able to leave,” his brother explains.
 Each day, several buses full of 50 ref-

ugees at a time leave Kyiv and travel to 
the border. People are allowed one piece 
of small baggage, often leaving most of 
their possessions behind. It’s a dangerous 
journey. Buses encounter checkpoints, 
shelling and shooting, sometimes trav-
eling through routes that are just as 
unsafe — if not more unsafe — than the 
Ukrainian capital itself.
It’s a risk, however, they’re willing to 
take, knowing that on the other side of 
the border is safety.
“At this point, they’ve taken out thou-
sands on these buses,” Rabbi Avrohom 
Bleich says. “It’s terribly dangerous. 
People are shot at all the time on the 
roads, either by mistake or on purpose.”
Refugee buses travel by military escort, 
who help get the buses in and out of the 
city to the Ukrainian borders, where 
there are refugee camps. “It’s a lengthy 
process,” Rabbi Bleich adds.
The Hungarian border, in particular, 
has been extremely helpful to Rabbi 
Yaakov Bleich’s mission. It’s what his 
brother calls a “relatively simple walk” 
— about 30 minutes to cross by foot into 
Hungary from Ukraine — compared to 
other borders, which have more chal-
lenging routes.
“The border is not just going to let 
your bus drive right through,” Rabbi 

Avrohom Bleich says. “It doesn’t work 
like that.”

A PRESSURE CAMPAIGN 
TO “LEAVE UKRAINE”
Right now, the mission is to get people to 
leave Ukraine. 
 “It’s a pressure campaign,” Rabbi Bleich 
continues. “It’s calling people and telling 
them to get out or contacting their rela-
tives and telling them they should leave.”
With one road left out of Kyiv that 
may not be open much longer, he adds, 
“Leave, because otherwise it’s not good.”
If the war continues, Rabbi Bleich esti-
mates that the needs will quickly change. 
“This is going to shift more and more 
from a rescue situation to a refugee situ-
ation,” he explains. 
Not everyone, however, is willing 
or able to leave, keeping thousands 
of Ukrainian Jews at risk if the crisis 
becomes a long-term issue. Right now, 
donations are crucial to keep operations 
afloat.
“People are giving their lives for this,” 
Rabbi Bleich, who recently spoke about 
the issue at an event at Young Israel of 
Oak Park, says. “The rest of us, we can 
try to support them financially and 
through prayer.” 

OUR COMMUNITY

Rabbi 
Avrohom 
Bleich

Chief Rabbi of Ukraine 
organizes escape routes for 
thousands of Jews.

Escape 
from Kyiv

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SNAPCHAT

Rabbi Yaakov 
Bleich walking 
though the 
border to 
Hungary

Rabbi Yaakov Bleich 
with a refugee at the 
Kosson/Hungary border.

