Ukraine's chief rabbi mourns loss of adopted son, killed in combat

On September 12, a memorial service was held in Kyiv for Anton Samborskyi, the adopted son of Ukraine's Chief Rabbi Moshe Azman, who was killed in combat.

Samborskyi, 32, had been missing since late July, with his death confirmed weeks later.

Rabbi Azman, who adopted Samborskyi when he was 10, expressed his sorrow, recalling their last conversation and noting that Samborskyi had recently become a father before being drafted into the army.

The service at the Central Synagogue of Kyiv was attended by servicemen, veterans, and others, and Samborskyi was buried in the city’s Jewish cemetery afterward.

Rabbi Azman expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support he received after the passing of his son on X.

“Friends, I am grateful to each of you,” he wrote on X. “Your warm words, coming from the heart, fill me with confidence in our victory over evil.”

He also announced a fundraising campaign in memory of his son, to support those affected by the war, including refugees, the elderly, widows, and orphans.

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The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court