In Kryvyi Rih, My Jewish Community is My Second Home

Even before she’d heard the first explosions, Zoya L. knew something was wrong the morning of February 24, 2022. Thankfully, she and her family found support at the one place they knew they could count on — the JDC-supported Hesed Hana social welfare center in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. More than two and a half years later, Zoya has thrown herself into Hesed Hana’s many programs, finding joy and purpose in the place she now calls home. 

Here’s Zoya’s story: 

The early morning of February 24, 2022 was unbelievably quiet and distressing — not even the birds seemed to be singing. 

I woke at 4 a.m. with an overwhelming sense of anxiety I couldn’t shake. I checked on the children and pets. Though everyone was asleep, I struggled to calm down and shut my eyes. When I woke again at 5:20 with the same sense of unease, I still couldn’t understand why I was so frightened. 

It didn’t even occur to me to check the news. Then, at 6 a.m., the first explosions happened, and when I looked at my phone, I was confronted with the full horror of the situation. I immediately woke my family and called my parents. 

I told my children that, with God’s help, we would survive. We weren’t going anywhere — I’m a lawyer by training, and I simply didn’t have the right to leave my clients, nor have I ever thought of fleeing for a moment. It was hard, though, to convey this to my aging parents.

And so, I turned to the organization that had always been there for us — Hesed Hana. In the first days, weeks, and months of the crisis, they gave us food and other essentials, and I even started volunteering with them, distributing humanitarian aid.  

Long before this nightmare began, JDC and Hesed Hana had given me a sense of purpose and community. My children were part of Hesed Hana’s youth program, and we were members of their Family Club, participating in Shabbat and other meaningful activities. Regrettably, my parents never prioritized Jewish education — I’d only heard stories about the Jewish life my great-grandparents had led. 

But at Hesed Hana, I finally got to live a Jewish life. Today, my family observes Jewish traditions — my husband bakes challah, and we celebrate Chanukah, Pesach, and Rosh Hashanah. We also meet with Family Club members outside of Hesed Hana, in our home. We have developed strong friendships with them and often call each other, worry about each other, and support each other through difficult moments.

For my children, Hesed Hana has been a bridge to a larger Jewish world they never would’ve known otherwise. My eldest son Gordey recently returned from Szarvas, the JDC-Lauder international Jewish summer camp in rural Hungary, where he befriended Jewish youth from dozens of countries. He’s also a member of the Active Jewish Teens (AJT) network — the JDC program in partnership with BBYO that brings together thousands of Jewish teenagers from all across the former Soviet Union. 

If you’re hungry for Jewish knowledge, new friends, and the chance to share a part of your soul, then the Kryvyi Rih Community Camp is the place for you. Our camp aims to provide respite, trauma support, and strengthen community bonds. Our family has been attending Hesed Hana family camps for more than 10 years, and we’ve loved each and every session.

The camp offered a wide variety of exciting programs — Torah study, arts-and-crafts sessions, nature walks, Shabbat celebrations, and more. My son enjoyed the sport activities and art master-classes, and my husband appreciated the nature walks. My favorite part, however, was Havdalah. I feel a sense of unity and joy when the entire community sings together — and I always have tears of gratitude for God. 

I draw my strength back home, at Hesed Hana’s family programs — like the Kryvyi Rih Community Camp I recently attended with my husband and children. 

Over the years, I’ve realized that Hesed Hana is my second home, and the fellow participants are my family. Since the start of the crisis, I’ve felt a sense of dignity because I’m not just receiving assistance — I’m giving it to others, too. 

For my children, Hesed Hana has been a bridge to a larger Jewish world they never would’ve known otherwise.

Now, whenever there’s a call for help, I’m there each time. 

This momentum keeps me going. Each new step we take — as individuals, as Jews — lays the groundwork for conquering the next. Life is about reaching for the highest possible goals and breaking through our personal limits. 

This crisis has compelled all of us to push past our limits. I’m grateful to my wonderful children, my beloved husband, my parents, and above all, JDC, for helping me grow in this way. Thanks to them, I still have the chance to live, have a home, learn, contribute — and hope for a more peaceful future. 

Zoya L. is a JDC client and volunteer in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine.

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