'Share-יהודי': Rabbis as a bridge between Israel and Ukraine connect Jewish destinies during wars - a new project from "ערוץ 7"

When war erases borders, a rabbi's word can become a home. What is happening today with the Jews of Kharkiv, and how does help from Israel and new projects offer a chance for unity?

What is 'Share-יהודי': Why a new bridge is needed

In recent years, there has always been an invisible connection between Ukraine and Israel, but it was the war that made it tangible.
A new project 'Share-יהודי' has started in Israel, supervised by ערוץ 7 (Arutz 7), מכון גשר למנהיגות (Gesher Leadership Institute), משרד התפוצות (Ministry of Diaspora Affairs), and עמי (Am-I). This is not a formal program, but a real step to support Jewish families who find themselves at the very center of upheaval.
ערוץ 7 (Arutz 7)
This is one of the oldest and most well-known Israeli news media. Arutz 7 (“Channel 7”) began in the 1980s as a radio station, and today it is a large information portal publishing news from Israel, analysis, interviews, columns, and much about religion, politics, and the Jewish world. It is known for actively covering topics of Jewish communities, religious life, and the connection between Israel and the diaspora.
מכון גשר למנהיגות (Gesher Leadership Institute)
This is an Israeli educational and dialogue center, whose mission is to build “bridges” between different segments of society: religious, secular, traditionalists, as well as between Israel and the global Jewish diaspora.
The institute trains future community leaders and creates platforms for joint projects between rabbis, educators, activists, and youth. In translation, “Gesher” means “bridge,” reflecting their philosophy—to connect people.
משרד התפוצות (Ministry of Diaspora Affairs)
This is a state ministry of Israel, fully devoted to relations with Jewish communities abroad.
Its tasks include supporting Jewish identity, educational and humanitarian programs, strengthening ties between Israel and the diaspora, combating antisemitism, and promoting repatriation. The ministry funds and oversees many international projects supporting Jews in Europe, the USA, CIS, and other countries.
עמי (Am-I)
This is a non-profit public organization specializing in strengthening Jewish identity and connections between Israel and the diaspora through educational, humanitarian, and cultural initiatives.
Am-I often organizes dialogues, seminars, and joint events for Jewish youth and adults from various countries. The name comes from the word “am”—people, hinting at the feeling of unity among Jews worldwide.
At the first open conversation, a report about which was published on July 24, 2025 in ערוץ 7 (Arutz 7), two rabbis met. Moshe Moskovich from Kharkiv and Chaim Markovich from Ma’ale Adumim. Their dialogue was not an exchange of compliments, but an honest conversation about what Jewish communities are really living today.
Kharkiv: standing firm under sirens
Rabbi Moskovich speaks from the front line in Ukraine:
“We are on the border with Russia. From the first day of the war, we have been constantly receiving rockets; everything falls on us,”
he says, recalling the fear that existed at the beginning of the war when many Jews considered leaving the city, which could have led to the synagogue closing and the actual collapse of the community. However, many stayed for various reasons, along with those who moved to Israel or European countries.
“Suddenly you see that the community, which previously only engaged in prayer and study, suddenly starts helping people, fixing broken windows, taking care of food—suddenly everything becomes more communal,”
says Rabbi Moskovich, noting that along with those who left the community, there are also those who joined. Sometimes, the reason for joining was humanitarian aid provided to those affected by the war, requiring proof of Jewishness, but ultimately, it led to the renewal of the community.
Rabbi Moskovich further explains the role of the synagogue in the community—when a Jew arrives from Kharkiv, he knows that he can celebrate Passover and other holidays together in the synagogue, while in Israel, holidays are usually celebrated at home, and the situation is quite different.
He also speaks about the concern of Ukrainian Jews for Israel:
“Everyone is worried, and despite the fact that we have war here and rockets are falling, everyone prays for the situation in the country… There is confidence in the Holy Land… Here it is life-threatening… No prayer, no help…”
The rabbi explains that if rabbis (for example, from Chabad) leave the city, there will be no synagogue, no Shabbat, no kashrut, no prayer, no humanitarian support.
Israel: solidarity that is felt
While Kharkiv Jews look for support among themselves, Israel does not stand aside. Rabbi Chaim Markovich emphasizes: tradition is important now, when it seems there is neither time nor strength for it. Synagogues become support centers, online lessons, charity projects, and personal communication—all this is the reality of Israeli daily life.
The dialogue between Ukrainian and Israeli rabbis within 'Share-יהודי' is not a theory or nice slogans. These are joint initiatives, experience exchange, and discussion of complex issues: how to help children who moved from Ukraine, or support adults who lost relatives. All these bridges are being built right now, before our eyes.
A new reality for the Jewish community
The question “survive or disappear” for the Kharkiv community and dozens of other cities is not hypothetical but a daily challenge. It is the synagogues and Jewish centers that have become the places where help is given to everyone who walks through the door—Jew, non-Jew, Ukrainian, Israeli. In Israel, such stories resonate especially—every name could be a relative, neighbor, or family friend.
Rabbi Moskovich concludes:
“When rockets start to fall… there is a feeling that you are not alone… There are Jews in Israel who are with you and want to help,”
he adds, noting that the need for such contact has grown now, when interest in Ukraine is not as high as it was at the start of the war. The project connecting communities creates that special link, which strengthens, inspires, and supports both rabbis and communities.
Conclusions: why all this?
The direct speech of Rabbi Moskovich is not just quotes, it reflects a new reality in which survival is only possible together. Projects like 'Share-יהודי' are needed not only for statistics or big words, but so that everyone knows: help is not something abstract, it is real people ready to lend a hand.
Today, help is universal. It is for Jews, for non-Jews, for anyone who dares to ask. NAnews — News of Israel will continue to tell the stories of people who did not wait for a bridge to build itself but went out and started building it—for their own, for others, for everyone. https://nikk.agency/en/share-rabbis/