A Horrible Four Years in Ukraine

A Horrible Four Years in Ukraine
On February 24, rallies took place in various cities and countries. On a cold winter evening, with snow still lingering and the streets treacherous with ice, concerned people gathered in Brighton Beach on this sad and tragic anniversary to express solidarity in hopes of a long-awaited peace.
The bloody war in Ukraine has been going on for four years now, becoming one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the 21st century.
Ukrainian songs were played, candles flickered, and participants held posters and Ukrainian flags. It's painful to realize that two close nations are destroying each other.
History knows many wars, but they always end at the negotiating table. And the main question that is being asked is: when will the long-awaited peace come? Unfortunately, the difficult answer is increasingly heard: not soon... I have written many times about the different psychology of men and women. And I am deeply convinced: parents should not bury their children. Nature has given women a great purpose—to give life. And may those who disagree with me forgive me, but for the sake of peace, sometimes it is necessary to seek compromise, especially when there are forces nearby that are ready to deprive people of warmth, light, and force them into cold shelters, when opportunities become unequal. Sincere gratitude to the politicians and public figures providing assistance to Ukrainian refugees. Special thanks to the police officers of the 60th police station.
I would like to recall that from the first days of the refugees' arrival in New York, the Jewish charity JCH of Bensonhurst (CEO Alexander Budnitsky) provided truly extraordinary assistance to Ukrainian refugees.
Free English classes were organized here (I personally know the wonderful teacher, Olga Mali), computer literacy courses, security courses, accounting courses, and more. Many refugees received computers. Assistance was provided with obtaining health insurance, food, and placing children in kindergartens and camps. The center's staff opened a free store where people brought their belongings. Most importantly, they helped people find jobs. It's not just giving them a fish—it's teaching them how to fish.
And, of course, let me tell you about the hero city of Kharkiv, where I was born, studied, worked, and where my brother lives—the man who brought me to New York 30 years ago and has always been like a father to me. He turned 74 today. Throughout the war, he never asked for anything for himself, never complained, and continued to work. I talk to him on the phone almost every day, and less often to my other brother, who lives in Kyiv, but I think about them constantly. They didn't evacuate because they felt a responsibility to their people. And I'm proud of them.
Kharkiv is Ukraine's second-largest city, once a powerful industrial, scientific, and medical center where fundamental discoveries were made. Freedom Square is one of the largest squares in Europe. It has always boasted excellent museums and theaters, and was home to a creative intelligentsia, renowned actors, writers, doctors, and artists. During the war, dozens of people were killed and wounded. The incidence of cardiovascular diseases—heart attacks and strokes—has increased exponentially. People live in constant tension, barely sleeping. The fifth year of pain, loss, and exhaustion has begun. Kharkiv has withstood the blows and paid a high price for the right to remain a Ukrainian city. But behind the dry reports lie the destinies of people—those who fight, provide medical treatment, teach children, and restore destroyed homes, networks, and transportation. Those who, after sleepless nights and worries, still go to work—because they are Kharkiv residents.
This war changed many things forever. The experiences of my loved ones in Kharkiv and Kyiv made me understand even more deeply the value of simple things: warmth in winter, water and electricity in the house, and peace and quiet for a good night's sleep.
There are dedicated volunteers working in Kharkiv, whom I met by chance during the war. I know one volunteer who, in icy conditions, carried water in bottles of several liters each. In Kharkiv, people go for water! Those who live in New York can't even imagine this! And if you're reading these lines online, dear Kharkiv volunteers, know this: you have no equal. People dream of peace—a safe world where children study not in underground schools, where singer Tina Karol performs not in the subway or hospitals, but on a theater stage. Where families gather around the same table, and the city is accessible by plane. We all dream of peace. May God help us all!
At the initiative of the Ukrainian Embassy, a prayer for Ukraine was said for the fourth time in the heart of Jerusalem – at the Western Wall.
Diplomats, community representatives, Ukrainian Jews, and friends of Ukraine unfurled a thirty-meter national flag—a symbol of unity and resilience. Israelis and visitors to the city prayed for peace and victory for Ukraine and Israel, and I joined them virtually.
My sincere gratitude to everyone who joined this prayer, including the Jerusalem branch of the All-Israel Association of Emigrants from Ukraine, as well as the Israeli friends of Ukraine, for their support and co-organization. Personally, I extend my deepest gratitude to the Jewish National Fund and to Igal Yasinov, Director General of the Eurasia Department, for all the good things he and the fund's staff do for people.
Marina Lagunova