Children of War Celebrate Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in the Carpathians
Jewish boys and girls who have spent nearly half their lives under air raid sirens celebrated their coming of age in the place farthest from the roar of explosions. The quiet Carpathian Mountains hosted hundreds of bar and bat mitzvah boys and girls from Jewish communities in war-battered Ukraine, including a girl whose home was destroyed by a missile.
Children of war celebrating their coming of age: while daily life in Ukraine continues under security tensions and frequent air raid sirens, dozens of boys and girls arrived last weekend in the picturesque mountain towns of the Carpathians. The goal was a special bar and bat mitzvah Shabbaton organized by Chabad emissaries as part of the youth organization ‘Enerjo’, designed to give the teenagers a quiet space and a much-needed break from the complex reality in the shelled cities. The Shabbaton was devoted entirely to relaxation and recharging for the boys and girls, who came from major flashpoints such as Kyiv, Dnipro, Kremenchug and others.
Among the participants was a young girl from Kyiv, whose home was directly hit during one of the latest missile attacks on the capital. For her and for the other girls, staying in the quiet mountainous area, far from the sounds of explosions and sirens, was an opportunity to process the intense experiences of recent months in a calm and safe atmosphere.
The highlight of the gathering took place in the opening hours, at a festive bar and bat mitzvah ceremony, held separately for boys and girls. As part of the milestone, the emissaries and counselors gave each participant a personal and valuable gift: the bar mitzvah boys received an elegant set of tefillin, and the bat mitzvah girls received a luxurious silver candlestick for Shabbat candle lighting.
The project and the personal guidance of the teenagers were led by Chabad emissaries working in the field in Ukraine, Rabbi Moshe Weber, Rabbi Shlomo Salomon from Kremenchug, and Rabbi Simcha Lavenhartz from Kyiv, alongside an expanded team of counselors who accompanied the social and educational activities throughout the weekend.
"The days of the retreat were calm and detached for the boys," said Rabbi Weber, the emissary who has accompanied the bar mitzvah project over the years. "We learned together, celebrated together, held farbrengens together, danced together. Every single moment was used well. The physical arrangements were fit for royalty, every initiative and project was made available to the boys and girls in the best possible way. The highlight was, of course, the elaborate and large seudat mitzvah. We screened for them Mazal Tov blessings from the rabbis and emissaries of the Rebbe in Ukraine, and the atmosphere was exceptional."
Rabbi Weber said some boys were unable to take part because of the security situation. "We made sure they participated from afar via Zoom. They were physically far away, but very close in heart."
The elaborate Shabbat was a full-day experience of uplift. "From the start of Shabbat until its departure," he added, "we were all disconnected, truly uplifted, with niggunim and dancing, and you could see the happiness on the faces of all the boys. The girls enjoyed a fascinating program with a team of dedicated counselors. Every one of the bar and bat mitzvah boys and girls left with a full spiritual package, one that will accompany them for the rest of their lives, with God’s help."
