Young Ukrainian Jews visiting Israel stranded as Russia invades their country

Twenty-six young Ukrainian Jews taking part in a Birthright trip were left stranded in Israel after their flights home were canceled as Russia launched a full-scale invasion of their country on Thursday, the organization said.

According to Birthright Israel, 16 of the Ukrainian participants had already boarded their planes and were in their seats when the flights were canceled as Ukraine was forced to close its airspace in light of the Russian onslaught.

They were put up in a hotel in Tel Aviv for the time being, Birthright said.

The other 10 Ukrainian Birthright participants were still in the midst of their trip, touring Jerusalem, when the fighting broke out.

“It’s horrible. It’s terrible. And I have no words in my mind to describe it. I feel scared that these things can happen in the 21st century,” Anastasia Bilig, a Kyiv resident, said, according to Birthright.

For now, the Ukrainian participants will remain in Israel until they decide how to proceed.

Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark said they had three main options: staying in Israel with family or through another program, or returning to Ukraine via Poland.

“We are committed to assisting all of our participants from Ukraine to get through this challenging time,” Mark said. “Whatever solution works best, we will be there to support and care for them until they can reunite with their families in their hometown.”

In addition to the 26 Ukrainians stuck in Israel for the time being, 18 Russian Birthright participants have also been forced to remain in the country as their flights to Moscow have been postponed due to the fighting.

After amassing troops along the border with Ukraine for months, Russia on Thursday launched a major offensive, bombing military sites and airports throughout the country. According to Ukraine, dozens of soldiers and 10 civilians have been killed as of Thursday evening.

“I’m in full shock. I knew the situation was intensifying fast, but no one could predict what would happen today. And right now, everyone is afraid. There is panic, but people are still hopeful. And even in the light of the heartbreaking events, we are staying united,” Lola Koktysh, another Ukrainian Birthright participant stuck in Israel, said.

Though Birthright Israel is perhaps better known for the trips it organizes for American Jews, the organization brings close to 5,000 people from Slavic-speaking countries every year, mostly from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

These trips were suspended for the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic but resumed last month as Israel eased its entry requirements.