A Bar Mitzvah celebration filled with tears of joy and emotion: boys from the Alumim orphanage in Zhitomir, Ukraine, celebrated their Bar Mitzvah in Ashkelon – where they now live with their friends, after fleeing under fire when the brutal war broke out. The director of the orphanage, Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, who has accompanied them since childhood, remarked: “To see them here, speaking Hebrew, feeling at home, joyful – it’s something we cannot take for granted.”
These children, who moved hearts across the country, have now celebrated their Bar Mitzvah. The boys, formerly from the Alumim orphanage in Zhitomir, held a moving and dignified celebration in their new hometown, Ashkelon. Three of the boys were from the orphanage itself, while two others were members of the close-knit community that had formed around the institution after its relocation to Israel.
The event marked three years since the community arrived in Eretz Yisroel, after escaping from the war zones in Ukraine. The children crossed borders under fire, some without proper documentation, and by miraculous means made their way to Israel. Their arrival stirred great emotion, and they were greeted at the airport with an official welcome.
The community, which arrived during the height of the war, initially stayed temporarily in Nes Harim before settling in Ashkelon. Over the past three years, they have successfully established themselves, integrating into the local Chabad institutions and schools, and fully incorporating the children into the educational system.
The Bar Mitzvah event was organized by the administration of the Alumim orphanage and Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, Chabad’s shliach in Zhitomir, who continues to travel back and forth between Ukraine and Israel, tirelessly caring for his dispersed community. The occasion was filled with emotion and a sense of unity, attended by public figures and members of the community. “To see them here, speaking Hebrew, feeling at home, happy – it’s not something to take for granted,” said Rabbi Wilhelm. “Behind each child lies a world of experience. There are no words to describe how moving it is to see them celebrating their Bar Mitzvah.”
Rabbi Mendel Liberman, head shliach of Chabad in Ashkelon, addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of unity and community spirit. “Just as the Jewish people received the Torah at Har Sinai,” he said, “so too are our children receiving it here in Ashkelon – with joy and love.”
The morning of the celebration began with the boys donning tefillin, accompanied by singing and dancing. That evening, a festive seudas mitzvah was held, attended by members of the community, shluchim, and additional guests – including Welfare Minister Yaakov Margi, who stepped away from Knesset drama to join the celebration. His ministry has provided significant support to the institution. The boys received generous gifts, including personal pairs of tefillin, talleisim, and siddurim, donated by kind benefactors.
One of the most emotional moments came when one of the boys, who had completed a masechta he had studied over the past few months, was awarded a certificate of recognition for his achievement. The audience applauded him warmly, highlighting the value of Torah learning and perseverance, even in the face of the children’s challenging circumstances.
Even three years after the war began, the community that was built around the children of Zhitomir continues to work toward integrating the children and their families into Israeli society, while preserving the warm and familiar environment of the original orphanage. “This event was living proof that the Jewish spirit is stronger than anything,” said Rabbi Wilhelm emotionally, “and that the community is succeeding in bringing life and growth even to the most distant places.”
The event concluded with hope and prayer for a brighter future, and for peace and unity – both in Ukraine and in Eretz Yisroel.
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