The quiet Carpathian Mountains became a place of relief and celebration as dozens of Bar and Bas Mitzvah aged boys and girls from Jewish communities across war-torn Ukraine gathered for a special Shabbos retreat designed to give them a rare break from the constant pressure, fear, and disruption of life in cities under attack.

Participants came from across Ukraine, including major hotspots such as Kyiv, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, and other cities where daily life continues under the shadow of air raid sirens and missile strikes.

Among them was a young girl from Kyiv whose home had been directly damaged in a recent missile strike on the capital. For many of these teenagers, the retreat in the quiet mountain setting was the first time in months they were able to step away from that environment and simply breathe in peace and stability.

“From the moment Shabbos began until it ended, we were all disconnected,” said Rabbi Moshe Weber, one of the shluchim who has been involved in the Bar and Bas Mitzvah initiative for years.

“We learned together, we celebrated together, we held farbrengens together, we danced together. Every moment was used in the best possible way.”

The highlight of the weekend was a formal Bar and Bas Mitzvah ceremony, held as two separate celebrations.

The groups gathered for a large festive meal, where video screens broadcast messages of congratulations and blessings from rabbis and shluchim across Ukraine. Some participants who were unable to attend due to the security situation joined remotely via Zoom.

“We made sure they could be part of it. They were physically distant, but very close in heart,” Rabbi Weber said.

Each Bar Mitzvah boy received his own pair of mehudar tefillin, while each Bas Mitzvah girl was presented with an elegant silver Shabbos candlestick set for candle lighting, as they each begin a new stage in Jewish life.

“Each Bar and Bas Mitzvah participant left with a full spiritual ‘package,’ something that will accompany them for their entire lives, with Hashem’s help,” he added.

The program was organized by a group of the Rebbe’s shluchim in Ukraine through the youth organization “Arenguo,” including Rabbi Weber, Rabbi Shlomo Salmon, and Rabbi Simcha Levenhartz.

Together with a wider team of counselors and mechanchim, they led activities, learning sessions, and group programs throughout the weekend, creating a structured and uplifting environment for the participants.