Zhytomyr Community Mourns Beloved Teacher Killed in Battle

The Jewish community of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher, Andrey, a longtime educator at Ohr Avner Chabad, who fell in combat after returning to active duty despite being previously wounded.

The Jewish community of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, is mourning the loss of a beloved teacher, Andrey, who taught at the Ohr Avner Chabad school for over twenty years.

At the outbreak of the war, Andrey was drafted into a drone unit. A few months ago, he was wounded on the battlefield. Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, the city’s rov, shared: “We helped him recover and heal. After regaining his strength, Andrey made the decision to return to the front lines.” Students from the school accompanied him on his final journey during the funeral procession.

The Jewish community in Zhytomyr is grieving the loss of Andrey, a longtime educator at Ohr Avner Chabad, who fell in combat after returning to active duty despite being previously wounded.

“Andrey was one of the most veteran teachers at our school,” said Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, the rov of Zhytomyr and Western Ukraine. “He oversaw the entire computer studies department. He was a computer teacher and programmer, passionate about the field, including printing technologies, design, and related areas.”

“He was deeply committed and dedicated to education in the school for many years,” added Rabbi Wilhelm, who serves as the shliach in the city. He noted that when the war began, Andrey was drafted to a drone unit.

The rov shared that a few months ago, Andrey was seriously wounded in battle. “We helped him rehabilitate and get back on his feet. Once he had recovered and returned to himself, Andrey made the choice to rejoin the fight. Today, we received the heartbreaking news of his passing.”

Students received the news of his death with deep sorrow. “He worked tirelessly at the school and had a close bond with the students,” shared one of the teachers.

Sadly, Andrey is not the first member of Zhytomyr’s Jewish community to fall since the war began. “Each time, the heart breaks anew,” said Rabbi Wilhelm. “One time it’s a teacher, another time it’s a student – it’s an unending tragedy.”

“The worry is constant, as many of our graduates and community members are serving in the war,” he added. “It’s important to understand that in Ukraine, every man is drafted, and it’s incredibly difficult to find good teachers.”

Andrey’s funeral was held yesterday afternoon and passed by the Ohr Avner Chabad Jewish school. Students participated in the procession and paid their final respects.

Meanwhile, the school is preparing for the end of the academic year. This week, they will hold the Last Bell ceremony – a traditional milestone in Ukrainian schools – marking the end of the school year at Ohr Avner, one of the most established Jewish schools founded in Ukraine over the past thirty years as part of the Ohr Avner network. Thousands of students have studied at the school, with many alumni now living in Eretz Yisroel, the United States, and other countries around the world.