Rabbi Vyshedski: almost a third of Jews have moved from Donbas to Israel since 2014
Eight thousand Jews of Donbas out of thirty have moved to permanent residence in Israel since 2014. This was reported on Radio "Donbas.Realiyi" by Chief Rabbi of Donbass and a community of IDPs Pinchas Vyshedski.
According to him, a more elderly part of the Jewish community remained in the occupied territories through health difficulties and reluctance to leave their homes.
“Moving to another place of residence is a very difficult task for them. Sometimes they say: “Here we at least have a house, 4 walls. Thus, it is troublesome and sometimes too loud here, but I am at home.” Meanwhile, a younger generation, which sees prospects ... they left, of course,” said the rabbi.
Vyshedski also noted that there are representatives of the Jewish community who went to Russia. According to him, it is about 2-3 per cent of the total number of people.
Earlier in an interview with the Russian newspaper Gazeta.ru Chief Rabbi of Moscow Pinchas Goldschmidt said that about 10% of Ukrainian Jews from Donbass went to Russia, and the remaining 90%, according to him – in the central and western Ukraine.
Since April 2014 an armed conflict has been evolving in a part of Donbas. Ukraine and the West accuses Russia of supporting militants in Donbas by providing arms and personnel. Moscow denies providing such support to the DPR and LPR groupings and recognizes only the presence of militants Russian “volunteers.” By that time the separatists have gained control over the number of localities of Donbas, including Donetsk and Luhansk. According to the UN, from April 2014 nearly 10,000 people have been killed as a result of armed conflict in Donbas.