First Home Update – The Long Way Home
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26).
The end of the year is the best time for stories with a happy ending, and we have one to share with you.
The Sukharukov family, the eldest daughter Daria is in the foreground | Photo: JAFI
“They were forced to leave their beloved home in Kharkov and start their whole life from scratch”
The Sukharoukov family from Kharkov joined the ‘First Home in the Homeland’ program just four months ago and now resides in kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh in the middle of the Negev desert. Reflecting on our first Zoom call with them, it’s striking how far they’ve come. Back then, their faces were marked with worry and hesitation—a reflection of the immense challenges they had faced. They were forced to leave their beloved home in Kharkov and start their whole life from scratch.
The family’s life in Kharkov had been stable and fulfilling. Tatyana, the mother, worked tirelessly for 15 years to rise from a bank manager to the head of a branch. Sergey, the father, owned and operated a passenger transportation company. Their three children were thriving in school, kindergarten, and extracurricular activities. Life seemed settled and secure.
Sergey, Tatyana and their children with all their family in Kharkov | Photo: JAFI
But 2022 changed everything. Tanks appeared on rural roads, bombs fell perilously close to their home (On the picture below you see their house in Kharkov).
In the face of unimaginable danger, they made the heart-wrenching decision to flee. After relocating to central Ukraine, they moved to Hungary, enduring four days of travel filled with uncertainty. They slept in dormitories and schools, and upon crossing the border, found refuge with a compassionate Hungarian family in Budapest where they stayed for a year.
In Budapest they met another family from their neighborhood in Kharkov who recommended them to contact an educational center that had been set up by voluntary teachers from Ukraine. Tatyana joined them as a co-founder and as a teacher. She taught math to children who had been forced to leave their home, while Sergei worked as a driver.
“A turning point came when their eldest daughter, Daria, decided to join the NAALE program in Israel”
Meanwhile their children tried to adapt to Hungarian schools, but eventually continued their education online due to difficulties integrating with classmates. Though life felt paused, their shared struggles strengthened their bond.
A turning point came when their eldest daughter, Daria, decided to join the NAALE program in Israel. She passed all the necessary exams and enrolled at Mevoot Iron School in November 2023, just weeks after the devastating events of October 7. Inspired by Daria, the rest of the family followed suit. In August, Tatyana, Sergey, and their younger children arrived in Israel and joined the “First Home in the Homeland” program, reuniting with Daria and beginning a new chapter in their lives in the Promised Land.
The family is now smiling and full of hope and plans for the future. They are embracing the transition step by step, or ‘leat leat, ’ as we say in Israel. Tatyana and Sergey are learning Hebrew in Ulpan, their children are integrated into local schools, and Daria visits them on weekends, making their time in their new homeland truly special. Despite the challenges of arriving during a turbulent period, they feel safe and cared for, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and coordinators.
We hope this will be a good start for them in Israel and we will support them with your help and prayers! Thanks to your loving kindness, such stories happen!
We wish you Happy Holidays with your families and loved ones. This year, Christmas, New Year and Hanukkah are celebrated at the same time. May it will be a good sign and blessing for all of us!
Please support the “First Home in the Homeland” Project. Any amount is welcome!
Assisting a family in the “First Home” program costs € 230 euro / US $ 250 a month.
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