18-year-old Eugene Fursenko was just sitting down to eat his breakfast when a hard thud on his front door jolted him. The surprise visitor handed Eugene orders to report to the Ukrainian army’s commissariat, the agency in charge of the draft. Eugene broke into a cold sweat as his heart pounded. As he closed the front door, his hands were trembling so badly that they slipped off the door handle. Eugene slumped to the floor holding the notice which he considered to be his death sentence.
“When you go to fight in Eastern Ukraine, you are living in a lawless and unpredictable hell. For a Jew it is even worse.” says Eugene. “I would not only have to fight the rebels, but I would also be the target of antisemitic attacks by my fellow soldiers. I would proudly fight for a country that respected me and treated me with dignity, but as a Ukrainian Jew, I would be treated like a dog.”
Eugene approached our Aliyah team for help and thanks to your partnership and financial support, we can together yell out a big “Hallelujah”, because Eugene has now made aliyah!
“I want to thank everyone who supported my aliyah,” says Eugene. “I have been given a new chance at life and am so proud to be an Israeli citizen. I am looking forward to serving in the Israeli Army where I can contribute to protecting my new homeland. You have changed my life and given me hope for my future! Thank you again for your love and support.”
