While Azman serves as one of the country’s prominent Jewish figures, since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began, he has operated a network of assistance for any Ukrainians, including those who are and are not Jewish. The volunteer-led operation involves providing food and medication for anyone who needs it and transporting them to the border by bus.
“Yesterday, we took 150 people from more dangerous places, tonight we’ll take 200 people,” Azman told Newsweek. “We brought the food and medicine to hospitals and to those people that lay in homes,” he said.
During the last three weeks, he said there have been between 10 or 20 buses a day transporting Ukrainians. A regular bus generally carries 50 people at a time if it has two floors. Just getting them is no easy feat.
“It’s not simple to reach the buses—the army took the buses,” said Azman, noting the challenges logistically speaking. “Buses cost a lot of money—thousands of dollars. Sometimes even drivers didn’t want to come. It’s complicated.”
In terms of the borders that Azman and his crew are facilitating transportation to, there are two kinds, he explained.
Kyiv, he told Newsweek is “simpler” because there is an agreement with the police to bring them safely to the border as people are taken to the buses. Then there’s transporting those from Mariupol and Chernihiv—places that are under non-stop attack.
“That’s why it’s very dangerous and complicated—how to do it,” he said.
The operation itself is simply run through a phone recording offering information where callers can choose from different options according to the help they need.
“That’s where we receive all information,” explained Azman.
Prior to this crisis, part of the services Azman offered as one of Ukraine’s chief rabbis after former president Viktor Yushchenko named him as such, includes help with immigration. He’s still assisting with that.
In light of the masses of refugees fleeing Ukraine, Israel enacted a new system known as “Green Path,” which would allow almost all refugees claiming eligibility for Israeli citizenship into the country without Israeli citizenship. That’s according to the head of the government’s Nativ organization, Neta Briskin-Peleg, who told The Times of Israel earlier this month that once in Israel, these refugees would complete the immigration process. Nativ is an Israeli governmental liaison organization.
Under Israel’s Law of Return, citizenship can be automatically granted to any person with at least one Jewish grandparent.
According to Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority, 13,513 Ukrainian refugees have entered Israel since the outbreak of the war almost a month ago. That includes 3,500 who are eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.
But Azman said Green Path is dangerous, too.
“Before this…we’ve received 100,000 calls. Relatives all over the world call to say ‘Please save the people’,” explained Azman, about the calls they’re receiving now.
Born in Leningrad, Azman said he knows exactly what the former “KGB guy” Putin is all about.
“I was born in Russia, I study the war against the Nazis,” he said. “I don’t believe what I see. I see the Russians shooting civilian people. You make war crime, you are citizens of Russia. You are involved in the crime.”
In a video clip he released earlier this month soon after the conflict began, Azman pleaded to viewers to believe Ukraine’s new reality and to not stay silent.
“I appeal to you dear Russians, dear Jews, dear Russians. Those who are not indifferent, remember, that those who are indifferent and the one who agrees are partners in crime. Military crime! Crimes against humanity! It’s not TV, it’s me telling you. I’m talking about what I see here,” he said emphatically, in a loud voice as he pointed to his own eyes, holding the Torah. “I’m not afraid to die, I’m not afraid to die. I never thought in my worst nightmares that I might have to perish under the shells of Russia, where I was born, where I went to school, where I have many friends…”
Azman explained that he sent his children and grandchildren to Israel soon after the conflict began.
“Who feels safe? There are rockets day and night,” he said.
“Russians—they believe propaganda on television. Even Jewish people in Russian I know, they believe the television,” said Azman in a raised voice. “I’m [in] Kiev, I see the explosions, I see by my eyes.”
Despite the surrounding chaos, he still has managed to celebrate both the Jewish Shabbat and the Purim holiday with his guests taking refuge with him.
“Yesterday, we celebrated with refugees, Ukrainians,” Azman told Newsweek last week. “After this, we give them good food, money, we have a Jewish law, to give money to poor people. And after this, we assist them to come to the buses.”
During Purim, a Jewish religious festival that commemorates when Jews were saved from Haman, who was planning to have all Jewish subjects killed as recounted in the Book of Esther, Azman managed to carry out a celebration, too. That was on the same day many Americans were drinking green beer celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.
“We involved in the spiritual now,” he explained to Newsweek in a separate voice recording over whatsapp. “We have a holiday Purim, we make a little bit vodka and whiskey. Today is a very happiness day under a bombing in Kiev. We want to change all the …”
“I have many people here. We pray and we drink and we pray that Haman Putin will go out,” he said, his comment was followed by a half-suppressed snicker followed by the sardonic smirk of another voice in the background. Singing could also be heard.
Azman has watched as Russians have put more and more forces throughout Kyiv.
“Numbers doesn’t matter to [the Russians] how many soldiers will die,” he said, noting that President Zelensky has led the civilian war with the full support of the Ukrainian people.
“The European countries and the United States—they don’t want to close the sky because they’re afraid Putin will attack,” he said. “Zelensky is leading not only the Ukraine people; he’s leading the free world.”
“When he was elected, he was a Jewish guy in Ukraine. Now, he is so strong, such a hero, the Ukrainian people and the Jewish people are proud of him,” he added.
For his part, Azman acknowledges the opportunity he’s been given to help his country’s people.
“It’s a big opportunity to save people, it’s a historical time. I’m very happy to have this opportunity to do it,” he said. “We save all people, children, women, all people that come, we help.”
“To be safe it depends from God, not from me,” he added. “I pray him (Zelensky) to be safe and to save the people.”
