From Israel to Ukraine: The warmth of hearts and real actions

The terrible humanitarian situation in Ukrainian cities due to the destruction of the heating supply by the Russian army's barbaric shelling has spurred many Israelis into action. Answering the call of the organization "Israeli Friends of Ukraine," hundreds of Israelis made donations to an emergency fundraiser to help Ukrainians stay warm during this frosty winter.

In early February 2026, the first two 7 kW generators were transferred to where they are needed most: the Territorial Social Service Center at 4B Rohnidynska Str. and the Social Services Center at 3/1 Filatova Lane, both in Kyiv. Every day, these centers help the elderly, people with disabilities, displaced people, and families in hardship. Their invincibility points work around the clock, providing heat, electricity, communications, and hot drinks during blackouts.

Kyiv's Pechersk district was seriously damaged during a massive attack on 9 January 2026. One of the generators at these centers failed, and the other was not powerful enough to serve the number of people who came, so each generator has an opportunity to continue helping the most vulnerable.

The partners of this project in Ukraine are the Darnychany Foundation and the Marlog International Volunteer Logistics Center.

The third generator and an autonomous heating system were sent to another invincibility point in Kyiv at 52a Yulii Zdanovskoi Str., where multiple children's clubs are located. Due to the energy situation, it was impossible to remain in classrooms, so children had to stay in cold homes, where their parents had no way to help them stay warm either.

Thanks to the Israelis' care, the children will have electricity and heating, enabling them to continue their activities and, if only for a little while, distract themselves from the horrors of the ongoing war.

Vyacheslav Feldman, co-chairman of the "Israeli Friends of Ukraine," has told the UJE portal that these three generators were just the beginning. The plan is to transfer 50 generators to Ukrainian cities in the winter. The goal of collecting 170,000 shekels (USD 55,000) for Kyiv has already been exceeded, but the new target of 200,000 shekels has been set to also help Kherson, Odesa, and Kharkiv.

The plans for Israeli aid to Ukrainians include generators, hot-air ventilators, charging stations, and other vital equipment so that as many people as possible have at least minimal heat and electricity.

"We continue to form lists of schools, kindergartens, and invincibility points that need help. We receive dozens of messages asking for help every day," says Feldman.

"The scale of the disaster is enormous. The enemy is not stopping now, and we cannot stop, either. Each generator means that dozens, if not hundreds, of people can get warm, recharge their devices, drink warm tea, and breathe a sigh of relief. Each generator is our answer: Ukraine will not be broken," Feldman explains.

Text: Shimon Briman (Israel).
Photos: official FB page of Israeli Friends of Ukraine.

Translated from the Ukrainian by Vasyl Starko.