A missile struck the central synagogue in Kherson on Thursday evening, heavily damaging the prayer hall and the office of the city’s chief rabbi and Chabad emissary, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wolff, who narrowly avoided harm after stepping out minutes earlier to affix a mezuzah at a community member’s home, according to initial local reports.
“This was an open moment of Divine providence,” Rabbi Wolff said. “The walls shook, and the sanctuary, the heart of the community, was destroyed. Our spirit will not be broken. We will strengthen the community and rebuild the synagogue so that prayers continue to be heard there, with God’s help.”
There were no immediate reports of injuries. Images shared by community outlets showed extensive interior damage consistent with a direct hit to the main hall.
Previous attacks
Thursday’s strike came roughly two weeks after a cluster-munition component slammed into the synagogue’s roof, scattering submunitions and lodging in a wall without exploding, an incident that caused damage but no casualties. Local Ukrainian and community reports documented the earlier strike on October 12–13.
Rabbi Wolff has survived previous close calls during the war. In mid-July, a Russian suicide drone directly hit the front of his family’s vehicle outside Kherson. He, his wife, and their daughter were unharmed. Chabad.org reported the episode, which was later covered by The Jerusalem Post.
The attack on Kherson’s synagogue follows broader strikes across Ukraine in recent days. Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, Russian drones damaged a synagogue in Kyiv and injured multiple civilians, according to Ukrainian media and officials.
Kherson, a southern city near the Dnipro River, has faced frequent shelling since Ukrainian forces liberated it in November 2022. Community leaders in the city have kept the synagogue active throughout the war, providing relief and spiritual services despite repeated attacks.
This is a developing story.