The faces of Rabbi Wolff

By Yedidya Schechter ’24YC When my mother, Shoshana Schechter, was a student at Yeshiva University, she had the privilege to spearhead a program called YUSSR, where a handful of students went to different locations in Ukraine and Russia to assist Jews who needed help physically, emotionally and religiously. On that trip 30 years ago, she connected with Rabbi Avraham Wolff, who was the chabad shaliach [Chabad emissary] in Cherson, Ukraine, and ever since then, they have kept in touch. On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, Rabbi Wolff, who is now the chief rabbi of southern Ukraine and the head of the Jewish community in Odessa, reconnected with my mother Shoshana Schechter at Yeshiva University as he spoke, by Zoom, to an audience that included dozens of students and Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, about conditions within the city and what he and many others are doing to keep people safe. He has two primary efforts. The first has been to get as many people as he can to safer havens in surrounding countries; for example, he relocated an entire orphanage of children to Berlin (where his own family is taking shelter). The second has been to give material, emotional and spiritual strength to the Jews still in the throes of war in Ukraine, such as taking care of the elderly not able to leave. To explain why he is doing what he is doing, he told a story about his return trip from Berlin after bringing the children of the orphanage to safety. When he went through customs heading back to Ukraine, the official in the booth asked him with astonishment, “What, are you crazy? Why are you going into Ukraine when everyone is trying to leave?” He explained to the official that “this is the mission of a rabbi and Jew, to take care of my people and my community, especially at such challenging times.” He observed that one of the paradoxical effects of a war that has caused so much destruction and chaos is that it has brought the entire Jewish community together regardless of their affiliations or doctrines, as if all Jews were sitting down to participate in the same Pesach Seder. That same unity binds him and Yeshiva University as the University, though thousands of miles from him, has pledged to help his cause. When asked why, in such dire times, he continues to show such a positive attitude about the conditions around him, he stated, “Putin may be able to take over cities and countries, but he can never take away my simchas hachaim [joy of life].” Rabbi Wolff’s devotion, leadership, emunah [faith] and positivity inspired us tremendously, and we pray for him and all those who are living in these challenging times of fear and suffering. He is a tremendous inspiration and someone whose leadership and care we can all learn from.