Since its founding, The Fellowship has helped hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world make aliyah to Israel, and every family, elderly individual, or lone soldier has their own reasons for moving. Some seek a better life, others wish to reunite with family, and still others want to practice their faith free from anti-Semitism. For many olim, the decision is also made for the sake of their children.
For Dmytro and his wife, Yuliia, who arrived in Israel on one of the first Freedom Flights from Ukraine following the ceasefire with Iran, arriving in their biblical homeland marks a new beginning for their six-year-old son, Roman.
Roman was born with a developmental disability and is unable to eat solid foods, use the bathroom independently, or speak. In the area where they lived, support for children like Roman was extremely limited. Dmytro and Yuliia had considered making aliyah before Roman was born, but since then, they have devoted all their time to caring for him.
Dmytro said, “According to doctors, his level of development is approximately that of a three-year-old child. However, to us, he is the kindest, gentlest, sweetest, and most beloved boy in the world. We love him very much. He is our child, our heart, and our life.”
Dmytro’s sister, who lives in Haifa, made aliyah four years ago. During a visit with her in January, Dmytro and Yuliia saw firsthand how much support children with special needs receive in Israel. They witnessed not only the care provided, but also the understanding and attention given to each child.
“That was extremely important to us. We felt that perhaps this was the place where our son could have more support, more opportunities, and more hope. After returning to Kyiv, we spoke with our family and decided to make aliyah to Israel — for Roman’s future, for his life, and for his chance at a better tomorrow,” Dmytro says.
After completing the consular review in Kyiv, Dmytro and Yuliia learned about The Fellowship. Within a week of getting in touch, they received the proper documentation and guidance through every certification process. Their flight had been scheduled for early March, but Ben Gurion airport was closed due to the war with Iran.
Dmytro remembers, “We followed the news closely and were very worried, but deep inside we had no doubts anymore. We were firmly convinced that, no matter what, we would not give up on our decision. In our hearts, we were already in Israel. We believed that the war would end, that flights would resume, and that our journey would continue.”
The Fellowship stayed in contact with Dmytro’s family until the ceasefire finally came. Flights resumed on April 30, and they were finally able to complete their journey to the Holy Land.
Today, they are settling into life in Haifa near Dmytro’s sister with the help of The Fellowship. Dmytro says the support they received went far beyond ensuring their documentation was in order. It also gave them a sense of hope, safety, and faith — the reassurance that they were not alone.
“You know, we now have this feeling that we have arrived at a home that had been waiting for us for a very long time. With each passing day, our faith that everything will be all right only grows stronger,” he said.
