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16 | JUNE 2 • 2022 

United States, found the tree. In 
the Soviet Union, it was forbidden 
to have any contact with relatives 
in the West, and therefore keeping 
a relationship wasn’t possible.
Before the war began, we rees-
tablished our relationship. Strong 
roots and traditions allowed our 
family to pick up right where we 
left off. Now, our Zlatopolsky fam-
ily is in touch with us every day. 
They support us and help us. It’s a 
connection that goes back many 
decades — during World War II, 
our grandparents also helped one 
another survive.

SAVE ONE LIFE, SAVE 
THE ENTIRE WORLD
When we arrived in Dnipro, 
our family arranged help for us 
from the Federation of Jewish 
Communities of Ukraine. We 
were called by a representative 
immediately upon reaching 
Dnipro, offering us any assistance 
we needed. Now, we’ve joined 
their cause.
The Federation of Jewish 
Communities of Ukraine has cre-
ated a hotline to provide human-

itarian assistance and evacuate 
civilians from all parts of Ukraine. 
Their call center works around the 
clock to process a huge number 
of applications. This is where we 
began to volunteer, answering calls 
and arranging help for civilians 
trapped in war.
On the other end of the phone 
calls are frightened people whose 
emotions are familiar to mine. I 
remember a call from a woman in 
Kharkiv who asked for help evac-
uating. She lived in an area under 
heavy shelling with her disabled 
mother, who doesn’t have legs, 
and with her son, who is ill with 
cerebral palsy and can’t move on 
his own.
These people can’t run into their 
basement or leave without outside 
help. Yet the Federation of Jewish 
Communities of Ukraine was 
ready to jump in and organized a 
special flight for people who can’t 
move independently. I remember 
the day the Federation sent this 
evacuation flight to Kharkiv. The 
entire call center rejoiced.
I also remember the words 
of Rabbi Meir Zvi Stambler, the 

ON THE COVER

Volunteering at a call 
center (Iana, Igor and 
other volunteers). 
BELOW LEFT: 
Iana’s nephew, Lev 
Syrotnikov, age 8, 
draws a picture for 
Ukraine troops. Lev’s 
drawing was delivered 
with lifesaving 
supplies to Ukraine 
troops.