One million people from Ukraine have fled since the start of the war with Russia. According to the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees, about half that number have fled to just four countries: Poland, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia.

In Central Florida, a local Chabad is helping raise funds for a refugee mission to Germany.

The Chabad of Odessa which is in Ukraine also runs an orphanage for 120 Jewish children that they care for.

Buses left Ukraine from Odessa on Wednesday morning with a final destination of Germany. The voyage is expected to end Friday afternoon in Berlin.

Odessa has a Jewish population of about 35,000.

The Chabad there also runs an orphanage. Rabbi Avraham Wolff’s son Mendy was tasked of taking all 120 orphans to safety in Germany.

“Most of these children do not have passports,” Wolff said. “Some don’t even have birth certificates. I arranged through the embassy’s in Germany, which oversees the general EU countries, that all these children get permission and documentation to be able to pass through.”

Five buses left Ukraine and headed towards Moldova, entering Romania, and then Hungary, which is where  Rabbi Mendy Wolff was Thursday evening.

“With God's help we will be able to cross this border successfully,” he said from a bus driving in Hungary. “It's another 15 hours of travel to Berlin. The children, I must say, it's hard to describe. They're doing well.”

After exiting Hungary they will continue northwest through Slovakia, and Czech Republic, before reaching Germany. The only time this trips comes to a stop is at a Chabad in different country where they can get a meal.

In Central Florida, Rabbi Sholom Dubov is doing what he can to help raise money for this journey, which is costing about $120,000.

“He needs the funds to literally do what he is doing,” Dubov, the head Rabbi of the Chabad of Greater Orlando, said. “Feeding these people, taking care of them, their first place to go is Chabad whenever there is a crisis.”

And others around the world are helping too.

“Across the board from Jewish to non-Jewish, from secular to religious,” Avraham Wolff said. “From observant to non-observant, whatever the association people around the world have, have come through.”

Wolff said the name of his orphanage is Mishpacha — which means family — and that he sees families around the world unifying to help these 120 orphans. 

The Chabad of Odessa is trying to raise a total of $500,000 to help the remaining Jewish population in Odessa who need food, housing, and medications. More information on how to contribute can be found on the Chabad of Greater Orlando website.