- October 12, 2024
- 11:48 pm
- Ukraine
As in previous years, the “Four Types” sets were also given to Jewish soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who serve at the front.
This week saw the completion of a large-scale and complex operation in which 2,050 “Four Kinds” (or “Arbaat Ha-Minim”) kits were delivered from Israel to Jewish communities in Ukraine. This operation, which began a month ago, is different in that the plants used in the kits were collected from northern regions of Israel, such as Safed and the Golan Heights, which are under constant shelling.
Told about this Maariv.
Note: Four types of plants – אַרְבַּעַת הַמִּינִים (arbaat ha-minim) include: 1. אֶתרוֹג (etrog) – citron, the fruit of a tree of the citrus genus, 2. לוּלָב (lulav) – a young branch of a date palm with an unopened leaf, 3. הֲדַס (hadas) – myrtle, 4. עֲרָבָה (arawa) – willow, willow.
The collection of plants took place under conditions of hostilities, which created difficulties for supply companies. They had difficulty finding workers willing to harvest crops under fire and with no available cover. After collecting the hadsot (myrtle branches) and aravot (willow branches), the goods were transported to the airport, from where they traveled to Vienna and then to Ukraine via a long land route.
Customs officials held up shipments for several days, officials said, and in the process, gratitude was expressed to the chief envoy to Austria, Rabbi Jacob Biederman, as well as Rabbi David Neimark, who helped with the release of the goods. Only after the truck arrived at the center of the Jewish community in Dnieper did the sorting and distribution of kits begin to all communities in Ukraine. This process was carried out with the support of Chabad envoys, who operate in 34 cities across the country.
As in previous years, the “Four Kinds” sets were also given to Jewish soldiers serving at the front.
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) is responsible for this project, which, in cooperation with Chabad envoys, takes care of the material and spiritual needs of the country's Jewish population.
“This is the thirtieth year that we have been distributing the Four Kinds. We thought we had survived all the difficulties in recent years, but every year brings new challenges,” said Federation Chairman Rabbi Meir Stamler.
He noted that, despite the difficulties of the war, the Jews of Ukraine will again be able to bless the kits, and this blessing will have special meaning in the current conditions.
Thus, this initiative not only maintains traditions, but also helps strengthen the bonds between Jewish communities during difficult times.
