Saving Misha and his orphaned friends from the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has been dragging on for over 80 days. Horrific numbers of soldiers and civilians have lost their lives or have been injured; according to UN data, there are already over 6 million Ukrainian refugees worldwide and up to 10 million displaced from their homes. The number of orphaned and abandoned children is growing day by day.

Rocket attacks and shelling from Russia has become more frequent here in Odessa. They are hitting residential buildings and shopping centers, inflicting serious casualties among the civilian population—including children—and heightening the sense of anxiety. There is an acute sense of loss and bereavement throughout the entire country.

Misha's life story?

Several days ago, through a series of miraculous events, we learned about an abandoned 12-year-old Jewish boy named Misha, from the small town of Fastiv, in the Kyiv region. When the Russian army reached the periphery of the region, he, along with his mother, had managed to leave for Poland. However, his mother unfortunately suffers from serious mental disorders; during the evacuation, people noticed her unhealthy behavior towards her son, and later, she abandoned him entirely. He was left totally alone. When we heard about the situation, we immediately made arrangements for Misha to join our children in the orphanage in Berlin, and now, thank G-d, the boy is safe and sound, receiving all the help and care that he so needed. This is just one of the sad stories which have reached the Mishpacha Orphanage, but now, the boy’s sad experience is over; he has begun to develop into a bright, happy teenager, and we are sure that a bright future awaits him. 

However, his story hasn’t finished. Misha has a younger sister Yaana, who was also abandoned by her mother. She has disappeared in Poland, and we haven’t, as of yet, been able to locate her. We are doing everything in our power—and we will continue doing so—to find Yaana and reunite her with her brother in the safe and warm environment of Mishpacha Orphanage.

How can I help?

The Talmud teaches us, “Whoever saves a single life, saves the entire world.” In the Mishpacha Orphanage, countless worlds have been saved. Children have learned to smile again, and look forward to bright, successful futures. But hundreds of abandoned children remain in Ukraine. Please, join us in our efforts to save those children.

Much has already been accomplished with your generosity, but there is much more to be achieved. Your assistance—in any amount—will help us save hundreds of children from the embattled areas, and give them back their hopes for a better future.

Help us bring smiles back to their faces.

https://www.mishpachaorphanage.org/orphansofukraine