Russian drone damages historic Odessa synagogue

A Russian drone strike severely damaged a historic synagogue in Odessa, Ukraine, just hours after the Jewish mourning period of Tisha B’Av ended, marking the latest in a troubling pattern of attacks on Ukrainian Jewish sites amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.

The Nachlas Eliezer Synagogue in Odessa’s Peresyp district, built in 1898 and once a cornerstone of the city’s vibrant Jewish community, caught fire after being struck by an Iranian-made Shahed suicide drone during a nighttime assault on August 4, 2025. The 127-year-old building sustained damage but no casualties were reported.jfeed

Symbolic Timing Deepens Impact

The timing of the attack particularly stung Jewish leaders, occurring just one day after Tisha B’Av concluded. According to Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Rabbi Shlomo Bakst, Chief Rabbi of Odessa, expressed deep sorrow: “Just one day after mourning the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, we now mourn a new and painful destruction, the severe damage to the Peresyp Synagogue in Odessa”.jta

The synagogue had served as “the only shul in the city during the communist era” after being closed by Soviet authorities in the 1920s, according to Anash.org. Though no longer in regular use, it housed ancient scrolls, holy books and religious artifacts that represented Odessa’s Jewish heritage.ynetnews

Community Vows to Continue

Rabbi Avraham Wolff, Chief Rabbi of Odessa and Southern Ukraine, emphasized the community’s resilience despite the attack. “The synagogue that was hit is not just a building—it is a symbol,” Rabbi Wolff told COLlive. “We are here, and we are staying here—and we will continue our work, no matter what”.collive

The rabbi oversees extensive community operations including 124 orphans in the Mishpacha Orphanage, 45 Holocaust survivors in a senior home, and hundreds of refugee families from across Ukraine.anash

Pattern of Attacks on Jewish Sites

The synagogue strike represents part of a broader pattern of Russian attacks targeting Ukrainian Jewish sites and religious leaders. In July 2025, Chabad Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wolff and his family miraculously survived when their vehicle was directly struck by a Russian suicide drone while driving in Kherson. The same month, the home of Chabad Rabbi Moshe Weber was hit by a Russian missile while his family slept in Dnipro.chabad

Rabbi Rafael Kruskal, deputy president of the Jewish Community of Odessa, strongly condemned the attack, stating that targeting houses of worship “crosses a moral red line”. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, called for European leaders to “speak out and condemn this assault on faith and history”.jta

The community plans to hold a prayer gathering at the damaged synagogue site to demonstrate their continued commitment to the city. As Russia’s bombing campaign has intensified—with June 2025 seeing the highest monthly civilian casualties in over three years according to UN data —Ukraine’s remaining Jewish population of approximately 32,000 continues facing ongoing threats.jfeed