Despite Drone Strike And Ongoing War, Kyiv’s Jewish School Welcomes First Graders Once Again

The “Perlina–Or Avner” Jewish school in Kyiv opened its doors this week to a new class of first graders for the 26th year in a row — despite the ongoing war and even a Russian drone strike that fell near the school building during the conflict.

The school, founded and directed by Rabbi Yonason and Rebbetzin Elka Ina Markovitch, has remained open throughout the Russian invasion, serving as both an educational and spiritual refuge for Jewish children in Ukraine’s capital. Since the war broke out in February 2022, classes have continued under constant missile threats, air raid sirens, and blackouts.

Many of the school’s students come from families directly impacted by the fighting. Some children have parents currently serving in the Ukrainian army; others are themselves refugees from cities in eastern Ukraine now under Russian occupation. For these children, the school is not only a place of learning but also a true home, providing warmth, stability, and Yiddishkeit during times of fear and uncertainty.

The impact of the school reaches well beyond its classrooms. Graduates of “Perlina–Or Avner” are today serving in both the Ukrainian military and the IDF.

Despite the immense challenges, the administration has refused to allow the war to halt Jewish chinuch. When a Russian drone strike damaged parts of the area near the school, the trauma and danger were real. Yet the decision was made to push forward, to continue teaching Torah and strengthening Jewish life in Kyiv.

“The continuation of educational activities at our school is an expression of the Jewish spirit, which does not surrender even under the most difficult conditions,” said Rabbi Markovitch, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv, at the opening of the new school year. “Every child sitting in a classroom is a victory over darkness and evil. We continue to educate the next generation with the values of Torah and the mesorah of Klal Yisroel, even as missiles fall around us.”

Rebbetzin Elka Ina Markovitch, who serves as the school’s principal, emphasized that the mission of the school extends far beyond textbooks. “We are building neshamas,” she said. “For children whose lives have been uprooted, the Jewish classroom becomes a place of hope and strength.”