"After a tense Shabbat, tonight was relatively quiet, and I hope this is a sign of things to come, despite the fact that gunfire has already resumed," Rabbi Aryeh Schwartz, a Chabad rabbi and Jewish community activist in Donetsk, Ukraine told Israel Hayom.
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The rabbi said, "Tonight, artillery fire was felt on the outskirts of the city, but not to the same extent as in previous days. On Shabbat, for example, there was constant artillery fire …. . It's encouraging that in the city, some car traffic was also heard this morning. But right now, the gunfire has resumed, and I am trying at this time to rescue someone who is in a shelter in the area of the gunfire …," Schwartz said. He said the individual in question was located 1.5 kilometers from his location, where he noted bullets had also landed.
He said he hoped the decrease in gunfire over the last day had something to do with talks between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Schwartz, the 5,000-strong local Jewish community is trying to remain calm despite the tense and complicated situation.
"What helps us on a day-to-day level is the support of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS, the former Soviet Union. That includes, among other things, assistance in the event of an evacuation, if necessary."
Schwartz said that should the situation demand, "We will contact community members, including those who do not go to synagogue [which is situated in the separatist area], and we will contact all of their friends."
In practice, should the region become a war zone and its residents be forced to flee, community members will flee to Rostov, near the border.
"Naturally, different people have different constraints and desires. Everyone will decide what they are interested in doing. Of course, we will ensure everyone interested in making aliyah to Israel will be able to," he said.
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