A north-west London Jewish community has reached out to its “twin” communities in Ukraine, following Russian airstrikes earlier this week.

Jewish congregations in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Lutsk are “distressed but safe”, according to leaders of The Ark Synagogue in Northwood. 

Rabbi Aaron Goldstein, one of the Liberal shul’s senior rabbis, said the community had been in close touch with its twin congregations in the embattled cities after three people were killed in Lutsk in August, and, on Wednesday, a mother and her three children were among seven people killed during a major assault on Lviv.

Rabbi Goldstein told the JC that their partner Jewish communities were “safe and well, but very distressed”. 

Sasha Somish, who lives with her family in Lviv, said that while she and her family were not injured, her apartment was damaged by the rocket. “The explosion was close. We had two windows and a door between the rooms knocked out. All this can be fixed, but you cannot bring back the killed people. The best of the best die, children. Is this the world we all wanted?”

Sasha paid tribute to the community at The Ark for their “concern and support.”

Rabbi Aaron Goldstein on a visit with The Ark Synagogue to Ukraine in May 2023 (Credit: The Ark Synagogue)

Throughout the war in Ukraine, The Ark Synagogue has stayed in close contact with its twin congregations to ensure the bond between the communities, developed over several years, remains unshaken.

Rabbi Goldstein said: “I cannot tell you what a difference it makes when people know they are not forgotten. Since our twinning in 2017, the communities have shared annual visits, fostering deep connections and mutual support. We plan, if possible, to get there with a small group in November to show our continuing mission of solidarity.”

Every Friday, Ark members join Lutsk’s Kabbalat Shabbat services via Zoom, and members of the Teyva congregation in Lviv participate in the Ark’s services through a similar live stream.

On the High Holy Days, online joint services are held for Selichot and Rosh Hashanah. The Ukrainian communities are also able to join their Northwood counterparts over Zoom on Yom Kippur, Succot and Simchat Torah.

The Ark Synagogue is the largest Liberal Jewish Synagogue outside of central London, with more than 1100 adults and 300 younger members.