Chanukah is a Jewish holiday of light and miracles. One of such miracles happened 10 years ago, in 2007, when the charity fund “People Who Care” with a great support from their friends from the UK, the “Exobus” charity, conducted a Chanukah Discovery Tour around Ukraine. 

The program included a range of festive events. The central one was a visit of the “Exobus’” active members headed by the Director of the charity Phil Hunter. The group included four couples: Norma and Phil Hunter, Sandy and David Dicks, Kath and Tony Rose, and Deborah and Tudor Thomas. 

Thanks to the support of the “Exobus” charity, “People Who Care” organized a theatric performance dedicated to Chanukah that took place in five regions of Ukraine. It was a festive gift to Jewish communities of Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Chernigov, Cherkassy, and Zaporozhye from the British friends. The performance was put on the stage by the professional troupe from Zaporozhye theatre of drama. It was a spectacular show; no other Chanukah events that had ever taken place in those cities could reach the same level.

The British guests arrived at Kiev where they visited Babiy Yar, the central Brodski synagogue, and other memorable Jewish places. Then, they attended a festive event in Vinnitsa and, thereafter, headed for Zaporozhye where “People Who Care” is located. In the meanwhile, festive evenings were taking place in the cities of the Central Ukraine. The performance was shown, Chanukah candles were being lit by the heads of local Jewish communities and rabbis, representatives of the Embassy of Israel and Sokhnut.  

In Zaporozhye, the guests from “Exobus” participated in a festive evening for disabled children and in a seminar for regional representatives of “People Who Care”. The key event of the Chanukah Tour took place in Zaporozhye theatre where the performance was shown and where the local Jewish school “Alef” celebrated its 15th anniversary. 

It was a magnificent event remembered by all its participants and spectators. 

  

This was the first miracle of Chanukah. Another miracle happened years later, after Phil Hunter passed away from this world, after “Exobus” closed down its activities. Our friends, Sandy and David Dicks and Kath and Tony Rose restarted cooperation with “People Who Care” and continued with Phil Hunter’s goal to support olim from Ukraine and needy children. 

We are sincerely grateful to the Lord for these miracles and for the light of Chanukah that still leads us on our way. We remember the Chanukah Tour with gladness and gratitude, celebrate its 10th anniversary, wish our British friends happiness and zest, and hope to meet other Chanukahs with them in Ukraine time and again.