Have you heard of a chief rabbi of any country perform a patriotic song and in the country's native language no less? Well, that is exactly what Ukraine chief rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman did this week in honor of the country's 31st Independence Day.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The song – "Ukraine, we are with you" – was created in cooperation with Ukrainian fighters, and shot in a wheat field, which is symbolized by the yellow color of the country's flag. The blue symbolizes the sky. The clip of the song includes footage of anti-war demonstrations in Tel Aviv.
"As the rabbi of Ukraine, I wanted to prepare a gift in honor of this occasion. We published the song on Tuesday, Flag Day, so that all of Ukraine could hear it. It was written especially for these national holidays by a well-known local composer. It was his idea. At first, I didn't think I could sing it, because the song is not easy. It is not my style either. But when we tried recording it, I got good feedback, including from government officials and mayors."
Azman, 56, was born in St. Petersburg (back then Leningrad) and has served as the chief rabbi of Ukraine for 17 years. After the outbreak of the war, the community fled to nearby Anatevka, where provisions ran short due to a siege by the Russian military. At that time, Azman published a recorded message appealing to Russians, Russian Jews, and rabbis to end the war.
"We were surrounded from all directions, shells were exploding from all sides, and we were here with the children and grandchildren, and some 200-300 other refugees," he recalled. "It was impossible to get out, the Russians were shooting at the cars, so it was a call from the heart. A cry of someone who is besieged with his little grandchildren and does not know what will happen. The call was to the Russians, but created echoes all over the world."
Azman is currently back in Kyiv with his congregation, where the community is concerned – like the rest of Ukraine – about increased attacks by Russia on Independence Day.
"You always have to take warnings seriously," he said, adding that "These are the last convulsions of the evil empire. Ukraine has already won, we just need to nail down the victory."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
