When a Rabbi Chooses the Front of Good: Moshe Asman, Zaporizhzhia, and the Strength of a Community that Relies on People

Sometimes the whole world seems to freeze around a single human choice. The large international Jewish congress in New York is an event that attracts thousands of rabbis from all continents. It is an annual gathering point where the future of the Jewish people is discussed, complex laws are debated, experiences are shared, and answers are sought in ancient texts. But in November 2025, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Asman, found himself in a different place — among the war-torn areas of Zaporizhzhia, in hospitals living under the threat of daily shelling, and among people for whom every day is a struggle for life.

This decision speaks volumes about priorities. Sometimes the true Torah sounds loudest precisely where a person is needed, not where a ceremony awaits.

A humanitarian trip not visible from New York — but felt in Ukraine

On November 18, 2025, Rabbi Asman briefly wrote that he conducted a humanitarian mission in Zaporizhzhia and the region. But behind this dry message lies the enormous work of dozens of people, vehicles traveling on broken roads, lists of needs gathered in advance, and the pressure of time when every minute can change someone’s life.

Three hospitals — two children’s and one treating wounded defenders — received medical supplies and essential equipment. These are not grand phrases. These are the things that peaceful countries don’t even think about: operating room lamps, sterile materials, equipment that must work without interruption. Two of the hospitals are children’s, where births are attended and where babies born into a world full of anxieties are treated. The third hospital is unnamed for security reasons, but there doctors work practically on the front line, saving Ukrainian soldiers.

The rabbi also delivered modern powerful generators. And it sounds like a line from a report until you remember that for frontline areas, a generator is not a comfort but a chance to survive. It’s light in the operating room when the power goes out. It’s an incubator that cannot stop. It’s heating and communication when it’s freezing outside and under shelling.

But the most important thing is in the last paragraph of his message: “I was very impressed by the warmth, optimism, high morale…”
Where fear should reign, he saw people capable of smiling and believing. War makes characters exposed, like wires — you can see who holds on to life and who holds others.

“Where we are needed” — choosing Ukraine over New York

Before this, on November 17, Rabbi Asman wrote that he was supposed to be in New York these days — at the annual global Chabad congress. It is the largest forum of rabbis, where community representatives from Argentina to Australia gather. There, they discuss issues that shape the future of the Jewish world for years to come.

But he stayed in the Zaporizhzhia region.
And this decision became a much stronger statement than any speech from the podium.

Usually, people travel for inspiration. But he chose to be the inspiration — for those living under shelling.

The Jewish school in Bila Tserkva — another front, peaceful

On the same day, Rabbi Asman shared his impressions of visiting a modern Jewish school in Bila Tserkva. This contrast — from the hospitals of the Zaporizhzhia region to children’s classrooms — remarkably shows the scale of the rabbi’s work, which is difficult to fit into short reports.

He described how a few years ago, the local community dreamed of a new educational institution — bright, spacious, modern. The dream seemed distant, but now the school stands, filled with children of different nationalities who study together and preserve their roots.

This is a case where a building is not just walls. It is a place where people grow, capable of carrying culture forward, even when the country is going through tough times.

The rabbi expressed special gratitude to Natella Andryushchenko — the community leader and simultaneously the school director. Such people usually remain in the shadows, but they are the ones who shape the life of the city: they know every family, every problem, every victory.

The character of Ukraine — in people who continue to build

The style of NAnovosti is not just journalism; it is a look into the atmosphere. And here it is especially vivid: a rabbi walking through the corridors of Zaporizhzhia, where it smells of medicine and cold; a midwife in the children’s ward who says, “every child is a small victory”; a soldier helping to unload a generator because he knows what it’s like to be in complete darkness under shelling.

Ukraine stands precisely on such people. And Asman saw this.

Why is this visit so important?

Firstly, it shows that international religious leaders do not live in a parallel reality. They see the front not in photographs but with their own eyes.

Secondly, it strengthens the feeling that the Jewish community of Ukraine is not on the sidelines. It is not just experiencing the war with the country; it is helping it to endure.

Thirdly, this visit is a signal to the world. We often hear statements at conferences, but the true voice sounds when a person comes to where anxiety is not a word but everyday life.

Ukraine and Israel: two stories of resilience

For Israelis, the rabbi’s story is especially close. Israel has lived under threats for many years and understands what it means to fight for every peaceful day. Therefore, such missions are perceived not as political gestures but as part of a shared destiny.

Ukraine is going through its difficult era, Israel its own. Both countries know the value of human life, community assistance, and the strength of people who choose good deeds over large halls and cameras.

There will be more missions

Rabbi Asman concluded his post with the words: “Thank God, we still have something to help with, so there will be more such missions!”
In these words, there is not only optimism but also a promise.

And it seems this is precisely the case when the promise will certainly be kept.

Question to NAnovosti readers

What do you think: are such trips by international religious leaders a gesture of solidarity or real help that changes the situation in the regions? And should such missions be supported by the governments of countries?

NAnovosti News of Israel Nikk.Agency