A Russian military rocket attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv claimed the lives of many civilians, according to testimonies. As anxiety about further attacks grows, dozens of Jews arrived at the city’s main synagogue yesterday to find shelter. Some spent time “saying psalms against bombs” – tehilim (psalms) neged tilim (missiles), as we say in Hebrew.

Chabad emissaries Rabbi Moshe and Rebbetzin Miriam Moskowitz have been working since the morning to bring beds and mattresses to the basement of the synagogue for the benefit of the refugees – while at the same time locating Jewish drivers to help them reach senior citizens in order to give them food rations. Heavy shelling in Kharkiv was heard all day.

According to the Chabad Rabbi: “The shortage of medicines and fuel is beginning to be felt here. We use every minute that is not under curfew and every liter of fuel to reach every Jew we can.”