Israeli-Ukrainian Man Drafted Into Ukrainian Army After Pilgrimage

Yonatan Karlinsky, a 49-year-old Breslov Hasid from Beitar Illit, Israel, was detained by Ukrainian authorities at the Ukraine-Romania border while returning from a pilgrimage to Uman. It was discovered that Karlinsky, who was born in Ukraine and holds Israeli citizenship, is subject to conscription into the Ukrainian army. He has been assigned as a doctor to a military unit in the Kharkiv region, in the country's northeast.

The Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU) confirmed that Karlinsky is being held in a detention center in Odesa and will soon be integrated into the military based on his civilian profession as a doctor. Initial reports suggested he might be exempt due to having three or more children, but Ukrainian military checks revealed he has only one daughter, making him liable for service.

The FJCU, in cooperation with local Chabad emissaries and Rabbi Avraham Wolff, the chief rabbi of Odesa and Southern Ukraine, has been providing Karlinsky with kosher food and religious items, including prayer books and, recently, items for the Sukkot holiday. An attorney representing the family stated that Karlinsky is receiving all necessary provisions and will be stationed in a rear base, several dozen kilometers from active combat zones.

According to an FJCU source, attempts to secure Karlinsky's release were unsuccessful due to his medical expertise, which is in high demand by the Ukrainian army. The source also noted that Karlinsky previously served in the Ukrainian army before becoming religiously observant and immigrating to Israel, making him subject to their jurisdiction.

In related news, the FJCU and Chabad emissaries have distributed over 1,000 holiday kits to Jewish soldiers serving in the Ukrainian army and tens of thousands of kits to Jewish families across Ukraine.