Among the children celebrating their "first bell" were some whose entire memory of the world has been absorbed through the sounds of explosions and shadows. In recent days, for one moment, everything stopped. Instead of fear, there were smiles. Instead of the shelter, there was a new backpack on their shoulders.
Welcome to the Or Avner Chabad Jewish school in Odessa. This year's opening carried special significance: among the 127 children from the "Mishpacha" orphanage studying at the school were those born just before the war broke out, who have never known a single day without air raid sirens, without shelters, without the fear that lurks beneath every routine.
"Who would have believed the war would continue for so many years," the educational staff says, "but life is stronger than everything, and these children are the most beautiful proof of that."
Rebbetzin Chaya Wolf, who runs the orphanage together with her husband Rabbi Avraham Wolf, chief rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine, added with pain: "These are children who grew up into a reality that no child in the world should know. And this week, despite everything, they took a giant step forward, toward their future, toward life."
Under the huge sign proclaiming proudly "We are all one family!", the children stood, sang, danced, and embraced the educators they call "Abba" and "Ima."
"Every child who enters first grade today is a victory of life over those who try to extinguish our light and hope," Rabbi Wolf said. "We are here to ensure that these children receive what every child in the world deserves, education, security, and above all: childhood, joy, laughter, hope and faith that tomorrow will be a better day."
