Ukrainian Jewish community and rabbis of Ukraine expressed condolences over the death of a Ukrainian family in Bat Yam

The Ukrainian Jewish community and rabbis of Ukraine expressed condolences over the death of a family from Odesa (Ukraine) who were staying in Israel as tourists. They came to treat their daughter’s cancer and were killed by an Iranian missile. The missile killed those who were fleeing illness On the night of June 14, 2025, an Iranian missile struck a residential building in Bat Yam. A Ukrainian family from Odesa, staying in Israel as tourists, without citizenship or repatriation rights, died under the rubble. They had arrived to treat 7-year-old Nastya Buryk for leukemia. But the war they had fled in Ukraine caught up with them in Israel. The ballistic missile hit the very apartment building in Bat Yam where the family was renting a home. Killed were the grandmother, mother, daughter, and two young nephews: - Nastya Buryk, 7 years old - Mariya Pashkurova, 30 years old - Olena Pashkurova, 60 years old - Kostya Tutevych, 9 years old - Ilya Pashkurov, 13 years old Ukrainian Jewish community and rabbis expressed condolences for the Ukrainian family killed in Bat Yam – NAnews, Israel News, June 18, 2025 Who they were: a family’s struggle for life Mariya Pashkurova was a native of Odesa, mother of three, blogger, and devoted fighter for her daughter’s life. After Nastya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in August 2022, Mariya dedicated herself entirely to finding funding for treatment. In December 2022, the family arrived in Israel on a tourist visa and settled in Bat Yam. At first, the treatment showed positive results, but a relapse occurred a few months later. In January 2023, Nastya underwent a bone marrow transplant, but remission was not achieved. In spring 2025, doctors proposed an experimental therapy to activate the transplanted cells — it was their last chance. The treatment cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, raised by charity organizations, volunteers, and caring individuals. “We’re taking a risk, but without it the disease will win. I’m afraid, but I choose hope,” Mariya wrote a month before the tragedy. Nastya endured the treatments with courage. She dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. Brothers Kostya and Ilya quickly adapted to the local school. Their grandmother helped Mariya care for the sick child. The girl’s father, Artem Buryk, serves in the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He remained in Ukraine, continuing to fight on the front line and raise funds for his daughter’s care. The final moments During the missile strike, the family was in the living room. The siren sounded 45 seconds before impact, but they didn’t make it to the shelter. The missile hit directly, causing the building to partially collapse. Fire and rubble made rescue impossible — all five perished on the spot. Words of support from Ukraine’s Jewish community and rabbis Rabbi Avraham Wolff, Chief Rabbi of Odesa and Southern Ukraine, speaking on behalf of the Jewish community and personally, offered heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. The rabbi spoke with Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk and expressed deep sympathy and solidarity: “May the Almighty comfort all the mourners among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may He send complete healing to all the wounded. Let there be no more sorrow or suffering within our borders.” Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Azman shared a public message: This is a shared pain for both nations. Ukraine and Israel are so different and far apart, but today they share the same fate… I feel that just as the Almighty protects Israel, He also protects Ukraine. No matter how painful and hard things are — Light will prevail! I pray for their souls. And I pray that the world finally wakes up! NAnews — Israel News considers it essential to speak out about such tragedies. Ukrainians and Jews are becoming victims of the same enemy. In Odesa, Bat Yam, Tel Aviv, and Kyiv — families are dying who simply wanted to live. We cannot close our eyes to this. With Ukrainian airspace closed, repatriation of the bodies is currently impossible. Alternative routes via third countries are being considered. Israeli volunteers have already started raising funds for funeral arrangements. The fund that once supported Nastya is now helping Artem Buryk, who is left alone. What this tragedy must change - Iran and Russia must be recognized as a united axis of terror. - Israel and Ukraine must deepen cooperation in civilian protection. - The international community must act — not just speak. NAnews — Israel News will continue to share stories that prove: the pain of Ukraine and Israel is one and the same, and the path to victory lies in solidarity between our peoples. https://nikk.agency/en/ukrainia/