American Jewish Mother, Kids Narrowly Escape Ukraine (VIDEO)

ISRAEL (VINnews) —  In a harrowing experience, an Orthodox Jewish woman fled Ukraine with her children, and has shared the story of their escape.

Ahuva Rosilio, 26, and her three children managed to leave Odessa on Motzei Shabbos. Her husband Shlomo, 36, an emergency first responder, stayed behind to organize an evacuation plan for hundreds of women and children in Uman.

Ahuva grew up in San Antonio, Texas. She met Shlomo, an Israeli who’s lived in Uman on and off, they got married when she was 17, and moved to Uman soon after. About a year ago, the family relocated to Odessa for their kids’ schooling. 

She told the New York Post that while she feels at home in Ukraine, remaining there was not on the table.  “Of course I wanted to stay, but because of my children that was not an option — I am a mother first and it is my responsibility to keep them safe,” she said. 

This past weekend, the Israeli embassy alerted people to leave immediately, and they would be allowed to enter Israel. “We were told to leave – to evacuate within 24 hours. It all happened very fast and under a lot of stress,” she said.

CLICK HERE to assist the Jewish community in Ukraine.

Mrs. Rosilio was quoted in the Jewish Press:

The travel agent told us to try and get to Kiev, a seven-hour drive from Odessa and said maybe we could get out from there.

I started throwing everything in suitcases trying to grab everything I needed. Five minutes before we left, however, she called and told us that all the flights leaving Kiev are also being canceled and we can’t get out.

We decided that we would drive to the Moldova border and get out from there, but after we were already on our way she called us again and said we had a flight from Odessa leaving in 40 minutes if I could make it. We told her ‘yes’ and drove as fast as we could to the airport.

The flight was packed with so many women and children: there was not one empty seat. Most of the people I recognized from my own community.

Ahuva said that parting with her husband was very emotional. “We said a tearful goodbye to my husband – he gave the children kisses and we tried to show them we were not worried and focused on the fact that we would get to see all our cousins and Grandma and Grandpa, but everyone was crying and the children did not want to leave.”

Shlomo is the founder of Ukraine Hatzalah,. Rosilio doesn’t know when she’ll see him again.

CLICK HERE to assist the Jewish community in Ukraine.