During Chanukah, Odessa’s mayor met Tuvia, a baby who captured the hearts of thousands worldwide as a one-month-old when media spotlighted the Mishpacha orphanage. A public menorah lighting was held at the iconic Potemkin Stairs, a 142-meter-long staircase serving as the city’s main gateway from the port.
When the war in Ukraine began, the story of baby Tuvia, then just one month old, captured the hearts of thousands of Israelis and Jews around the world who wanted to adopt him. Almost three years later, Odessa’s mayor met Tuvia and held him during a colorful Chanukah celebration in his office. Additionally, Jewish history was made on the iconic Potemkin Stairs, Odessa’s most famous landmark, which reopened for the first time since the war began.
When the intense war broke out in Ukraine, international media teams visited Odessa’s Jewish orphanage, Mishpacha. There, they met sweet baby Tuvia, only one month old at the time.
Tuvia’s story aired and deeply touched thousands of Israelis, many of whom expressed a desire to adopt him. “We received thousands of inquiries with requests to adopt Tuvia,” shared Rabbi Avraham Wolff, founder of the orphanage and Chief Rabbi of Southern Ukraine.
This week, Odessa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov hosted Rabbi Wolff for a menorah lighting ceremony at the city hall’s conference table.
Joining Rabbi Wolff was none other than the now-joyful Tuvia, who has grown up with over a hundred “siblings” at the Mishpacha orphanage. The mayor was moved to see Tuvia and asked to hold him.
Rabbi Wolff emphasized the importance of lighting candles to dispel darkness and bring more light into the world, especially in such challenging times of war—in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The mayor, in turn, extended blessings to the residents of Odessa, the orphanage children, and wished for peace, prosperity, and continued bright lives.
Historic Lighting at the Potemkin Stairs
This Chanukah marked a historic moment in Odessa. For the first time in a long while, a public menorah lighting was held at the Potemkin Stairs—a 142-meter-long staircase that serves as the main entrance to the city from the port. These iconic stairs, the most recognized symbol of Odessa, had only recently reopened on the eve of Chanukah.
Despite the cold, rain, and darkness, along with sirens and explosions, the central lighting took place at the stairs. Amid the war-torn atmosphere, Odesa’s Jewish community gathered to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, “praying for miracles, as in those days, at this time,” declared Rabbi Mendy Wolff, son of Rabbi Avraham Wolff.
“The entire community was deeply moved to come together around the large menorah, drawing strength from the unity and camaraderie,” Rabbi Mendy shared. A team of reporters and photographers listened as he explained, in the local language, the Jewish custom of lighting one additional candle each day. “Each day we add another candle, spreading more light and transforming the world. Every change begins with a small, but decisive, step. Each of us can take on a good deed or mitzvah and persevere, creating ripples of kindness, light, and warmth together.”
City representative Pavel Vugelman addressed the crowd, thanking the Jewish community for their humanitarian aid and the strength, unity, and optimism they radiate, which uplifts the entire city.
The children from the orphanage and local schools who attended the moving lighting ceremony continued the celebration in a safe hall equipped with a nearby shelter. They gathered around set tables, danced and sang, learned to drum, and left with holiday gifts to brighten the festivities.
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