Son of Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi Azman killed in action on frontlines

The son of Ukraine's Chief Rabbi, Moshe Azman, has been killed on the frontlines. The funeral for Matisyahu Samborsky took place on 12 September in Kyiv, Hromadske reports. Moshe Azman last spoke with his son on 17 July, and a week later, on 24 July, after a battle, a report began emerging stating that Matiyahu was missing. Azman shared that he and his wife adopted the boy in 2002 when he was 11. His birth name was Anton Samborsky, but the new family gave him the Jewish name Matiyahu (Motia) after the leader of the Maccabean Revolt over 2,200 years ago, the event which stands behind Hanukkah. Matiyahu's wife and young daughter were left without a husband and father.

"Motia lived with us for about ten years, but when he grew up, he chose to live independently. He got married, and his daughter was born in May of this year. However, Motia was drafted into the army just a week after her birth. After a brief training course, he was sent straight to the frontlines," Moshe Azman wrote on social media.

The farewell ceremony for Matiyahu Samborsky was held at the Central Synagogue in Kyiv. He is buried at the Jewish cemetery. Related:

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