Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Wolf, the Chabad emissary in the city of Kherson in Ukraine, has operated under fire in recent years due to the ongoing war, and in recent months has experienced a chain of miracles, the latest of which occurred last weekend.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, he describes how a Russian missile penetrated the synagogue's roof and caused severe destruction. "What happened to us is simply a miracle at the most basic level", says Rabbi Wolf. "The missile entered from the roof, destroyed the prayer hall and the offices on the building's first floor. By a miracle, no one was hurt."
The only reason the incident did not end in a major disaster was the precise timing of the strike, "It was already rather late, when the congregation no longer comes, because it is close to curfew and very dangerous to be outside at that time."
For Rabbi Wolf, this is not the first time he has experienced Divine providence so tangibly. A few months ago he and his family were openly saved by a miracle after a suicide drone struck their vehicle, "I watched the footage of the event dozens of times. It seemed impossible to avoid it and yet we managed to come out alive."
He notes that life in Kherson has become a constant challenge and managing community life requires creativity and inner strength. The greatest challenge is the nightly curfew, which makes synagogue prayers impossible, "You cannot bring people to the synagogue in the evening and you cannot do without prayers throughout the holidays."
Ahead of the recent High Holidays, Rabbi Wolf found a creative solution, "There is a hotel opposite my home. We rented it and then people could celebrate the holiday there and come pray with us. We changed the congregation for prayers on all the holidays."
Daytime prayers held at the synagogue are also a daily test of faith. The city of Kherson sits on the bank of the Dnipro River, and shelling comes from the opposite bank, a very short distance away. This reality creates an emergency routine without any protection, "You hear the booms all the time, the proximity is so great. You hear the sound of the launch and after three seconds there is an impact. We have no sirens or warnings," Rabbi Wolf describes.
But the greatest miracle in Kherson, according to Rabbi Wolf, is not only physical but spiritual. The war, which hit the city and caused many residents to leave, ignited a strong Jewish spark among those who remained. "I can say that the vast majority of the congregation that now comes consists of people who before the war did not at all come to the synagogue." Against all odds we have a daily Shacharit minyan.
The war has completely changed the nature of the mission. The community's flourishing educational enterprise, which was the central activity before the war, has been silenced entirely, "Before the war we dealt with the main area in which we invested - education. Today all educational institutions operate only online. It is impossible to run a school because it is dangerous for the students."
Now all resources are directed toward basic survival, "Today we are mainly engaged in truly rescuing people. We take care of food, medicine and also provide moral support. We pray that this will end and that we will return to normal life and a real routine."
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Miracle in Kherson: Chabad Rabbi Survives Missile Strike on Synagogue
Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Wolf, the Chabad emissary in Kherson, Ukraine, has been serving his community under fire since the start of the war. In recent months, he has witnessed what he calls a series of miracles - the latest occurring just last weekend.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, Rabbi Wolf described how a Russian missile struck the synagogue, tearing through the roof and destroying the main prayer hall and offices on the first floor. “What happened to us is simply a miracle,” he said. “The missile entered from the roof, destroyed the prayer hall and offices, but no one was hurt.”
The timing of the strike spared lives, he explained: “It was already quite late, when people no longer come because of the curfew. It’s dangerous to be outside at that hour.”
This is not the first time Rabbi Wolf and his family have narrowly escaped death. A few months ago, a suicide drone hit their vehicle. “I watched the footage dozens of times,” he recalled. “It seemed impossible to survive - and yet we did.”
Life in Kherson, he said, has become a daily test of faith and resilience. The strict curfew prevents evening prayers, forcing the rabbi to find creative alternatives. Ahead of the recent Tishrei holidays, he rented a hotel across from his home so congregants could safely gather and pray.
Even daytime prayers are perilous. Kherson sits on the right bank of the Dnipro River, within direct range of Russian shelling from the opposite shore. “You hear the launches and three seconds later - the explosion,” Rabbi Wolf said. “There are no sirens or warnings.”
Yet amid the destruction, he sees a different kind of miracle: a spiritual awakening. “Most of the people who now come to our minyan didn’t attend synagogue before the war,” he said. “Against all odds, we have a daily morning prayer.”
Before the war, the Chabad community’s main focus was education, but its schools now operate only online. “Today, we’re mainly engaged in rescuing people - providing food, medicine, and moral support,” Rabbi Wolf said. “We pray for this war to end, so we can return to normal life and rebuild.”