RKYHS and JKHA middle school classes had the meaningful opportunity to hear from Ukranian refugee Yana Erlich. Erlich, her husband and two young children ages 4 years old and 4 months old, spent nine days seeking refuge from Ukraine before she and her family arrived safely in Israel. Speaking via Zoom from Israel, the extended community was fortunate to hear about her harrowing experience. Participants could feel the raw emotion, even across the miles and through a Zoom screen, as Erlich tearfully recounted the experience of hearing bombs go off and her journey as she uprooted her family and escaped her home on a moment’s notice, with just the belongings they could carry. She described how she traveled across Ukraine, crossing the border in Poland on foot, rather than wait in the days-long line of cars trying to cross. She expressed the emotions involved for the Ukrainian refugees leaving their parents and other loved ones and friends, not knowing if they will ever be able to come back to their homes or if their cities can ever be rebuilt.

Erlich expressed gratitude for all the agencies and organizations working on behalf of the refugees. Students were moved by the powerful message she conveyed through tears to appreciate life, appreciate what you have, appreciate peace and appreciate the simplest things in life. Erlich and her husband and children put a face to the tragedy affecting so many, and personalized the story of just one of the three million refugees who have been displaced. The Erlich family is currently being housed by JKHA/RKYHS Head of School Rabbi Rubin’s daughter’s family in Israel, and students took this generous act of kindness to heart, enabling them understand the concept of stepping up to help those in need, and illustrating the sense of brotherhood that the Jewish people have for one another all around the world.