Hundreds of people and major media outlets attended the funeral of Matisyahu Samborsky, the adopted son of Rabbi Moshe Asman, one of Ukraine’s prominent rabbis, which took place at the Brudsky shul where he davened for many years.
Matisyahu (Anton) Samborsky, the adopted son of Rabbi Moshe Asman of Ukraine, has been laid to rest following a ceremony held at the central Brudsky shul in Kyiv, where Rabbi Asman serves as the rabbi.
Matisyahu was adopted by Rabbi Asman and his wife 22 years ago when he was ten and a half years old, after being transferred from a Jewish orphanage. He studied at Chabad institutions in Kyiv, managed by Rabbi Asman, and later moved to the Chabad yeshiva in Dnipro in Eastern Ukraine—one of the five Chabad yeshivas that operated in Ukraine.
Matisyahu was killed while serving in the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk region, after being drafted a few months ago as part of the mandatory military service in Ukraine. His family knew he had been injured by a missile explosion near him and his unit, and that survival seemed impossible, but it was only two days ago that his body was found and identified by his wife.
Two weeks ago, upon learning of his death, Rabbi Asman wrote: “Matisyahu got married and had a daughter in May this year. A week after the birth of his daughter, he was drafted into the army. I pray for all the heroes who gave their lives.”
The Federation of Jewish Communities in the Country (FJCU) notes that since the beginning of the year, they have helped bury 47 Jewish soldiers who fell in battle. They estimate that the number of Jewish casualties is at least five times higher. “Many of them grew up with no connection to the Jewish community, hid their Jewish identity, or grew up in remote places, thus ‘falling between the cracks’ and being buried as non-Jews.”
At Matisyahu’s funeral today—both at the Brudsky shul where he davened for many years with his family and at the cemetery—hundreds of people attended, including both Jews and local Ukrainians who came to pay their respects. Some of the Jewish attendees traveled from distant cities to participate in the funeral.
Matisyahu’s story, as the son of one of the country’s prominent rabbis, made headlines in Ukraine, and numerous media outlets sent representatives to the funeral. Some reports highlighted that Jews are loyal to Ukraine and even the children of rabbis go to the front, while the children of politicians flee abroad.
Rabbi Moshe Asman, Matisyahu’s adoptive father, said: “In the Jewish community of Ukraine, there is no ‘blue blood.’ Our finest sons are at the front lines defending the homeland from the Russian invader. Matisyahu went to the front, fought bravely for Ukraine and for justice and peace, and fell as a hero. We will not forget him and will dedicate activities in his memory. Matityahu, your death will not be in vain. We will prevail and remember you always!”
Rabbi Meir Stambler, Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities, expressed: “We were saddened to hear of Matisyahu’s fall in battle and we share in the pain of Rabbi Asman and his family, who dedicated many years to Matisyahu, loved him, and treated him as their own son. As we are busy organizing the Tishrei holidays in 180 Jewish communities in Ukraine—our third holiday season under the shadow of the severe war—and doing everything possible to provide for the Jewish community’s needs, we pray that we will see ‘The year ends and its curses, and the year begins and its blessings,’ with the true and complete redemption.”
I would like to point out that his name tag says “Chabadnik”