This is Aiton Weinstein, and I'm Naura Menninger, and you're listening to Two Nice Jewish Boys.

On February 24th, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and set the entire world on course for turmoil.

Even today, every single day, about 200 Ukrainians die in a war that no one seems to know how or when it will end.

With casualties in the tens of thousands, more than 10 million Ukrainian refugees fled their homes.

Those who have stayed continue to suffer from a daily dose of deadly rocket fire hitting without any warning and causing severe casualties. Among the masses that fled was Rabbi Mendel

Moskowitz. Rabbi Mendel Moskowitz is a Habad rabbi with a long Ukrainian history.

Born in Brooklyn, his parents took him to Ukraine as a baby on their mission to help Jews in the new nation

emerging from the falling Soviet Union.

Fast forward 32 years, Rabbi Moskowitz found himself at the crossroads of history. Rabbi Mendel Moskowitz joins us today to share

his experiences in Kharkiv five months ago at the beginning of the Russian invasion. So much,

thank you so much for joining us. So much thank you. That's how they say it in the Ukrainian.

So much thank you.

Thank you so much for joining us.

How are you?

I'm good.

I'm good.

Trying to get used to the daily traffic and the different rhythm of life here in Israel. I think it's safe to say life is better right now in eastern Ukraine than than in kiriat malachi could be but you know

it's definitely uh now i feel the people will make an aliyah it's so different especially people

with russian or ukrainian culture which is a very you know heavy culture and a strong culture

it's it's hard it's hard to get used to

the rhythm here and the people. And, you know, I always grew up, I learned in Israel for many

years. So I know the Israeli. I'm married to it in Israeli. So I know the culture and I know I'm used

...