(Jewish Group) In Ukraine, young Jews are torn between fighting for their country -- or leaving

[Behind the Aegis]

In Ukraine, young Jews are torn between fighting for their country — and leaving for another

As world powers work to defuse the military buildup between Ukraine and Russia, Vlodymyr Zeev Vaksman, a Jewish father in Odessa, is focusing on a personal arms race.

“I put off making any big purchases. I want to buy weapons,” Vaksman, the 40-year-old chair of Odessa’s Tiferet Masorti community, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency Monday.

Vaksman, who works as a tour guide, is typical of many young Ukrainian Jews: Attached to their country, they’re hesitant to abandon it when it’s threatened. But, mindful of how quickly it can descend into violence, sometimes along sectarian lines, they also are unwilling to leave their family’s safety to the authorities and chance.

“Everyone is worried,” Vaksman told JTA about his circle of Jewish friends. “Some want to resist and join the defense units. Some want to leave.”

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