At the invitation of HaRav Pinchas Saltzman, Chief Rabbi of Israel HaRav Lau on Wednesday flew to Moldova, where hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have been arriving in recent weeks.

HaRav Lau visited the shul in Kishinev, which has been transformed into a place to sleep for Jewish refugees. Prior to Shabbos, HaRav Saltzman told the mispallelim not to come to shul on Shabbos as he needed the space for the refugees.

“I hope that the shul will revert to a place of tefillah but people are made to feel at home here – it’s simply moving,” Rav Lau said.

Apart from providing chizzuk to the refugees, HaRav Saltzman also requested that HaRav Lau come to Kishinev to assist him with complex halachic shailos that arose due to the war.

The beleaguered refugees were astonished to see the Chief Rabbi of Israel in Moldova and his presence provided them with much encouragement.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)