Israeli-Ukrainian Dual Citizen Detained by Ukraine, Receives Sukkot Items in Custody

Yonatan Karlinsky, a 49-year-old dual Israeli-Ukrainian citizen residing in Beitar Illit, Israel, has been detained by Ukrainian military police in the Odesa region. Karlinsky, originally from Ukraine, was apprehended at the Romanian border after visiting Uman for the Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage. Ukrainian authorities determined that despite his long-term residency in Israel, he is subject to military service requirements during wartime.

Karlinsky, who is Hasidic and a member of the Breslov community, has received religious items for the Sukkot holiday while in detention. These include the four species traditionally used during Sukkot: an etrog from Israel, a palm branch, myrtle, and willow. He is also receiving kosher food.

Initially, Karlinsky's family and the Breslov community were unaware of his whereabouts. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated they were searching for him. The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) later confirmed he was being held in a detention facility for soldiers who had left their posts without leave.

Attempts to exempt Karlinsky from service have been unsuccessful. An initial claim that he was exempt as a father of six was incorrect; he has one daughter. The FJCU noted that Karlinsky previously served in the Ukrainian army before moving to Israel and becoming religiously observant. Ukrainian authorities have decided not to send him to the front lines due to his medical background, with plans for him to serve as a military medic in a rear area near Kharkiv. He has also requested not to carry a weapon for religious reasons, a request Ukrainian authorities have reportedly agreed to.

Rabbi Meir Stambler of the FJCU stated that Ukraine's severe personnel shortages due to the ongoing war make military exemptions increasingly difficult. He acknowledged the Ukrainian authorities' willingness to accommodate Karlinsky's religious needs, including his request regarding weaponry, and suggested a future possibility of him serving in the Ukrainian military rabbinate.

Karlinsky is reportedly the only ultra-Orthodox Jew detained under the current intensified mobilization efforts. The FJCU reported that Karlinsky stated he is in good condition and being treated appropriately.