Turning out in Long Beach for the Ukrainian people

Eighty-three-year-old Aija Dorsey sat toward the rear of the large chapel at Temple Emanu-El of Long Beach Monday night, holding a colorful sign that read, “Latvia for free Ukraine.”

Dorsey was a child, living in Latvia, when Russia invaded the country in 1940, and her family fled to Germany. “We were just refugees, like you see today” on television, she said quietly, referring to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. “I cry so much. To me it’s very personal.”

Dorsey, of Long Beach, was one of about 200 people who gathered at the temple to pray for the people of Ukraine and for peace in that war-torn country, at an event organized by Rabbi Jack Zanerhaft, spiritual leader of Emanu-El.

“Why am I here?” the rabbi said to a hushed audience. “I am the son of Holocaust survivors. Why are we here? Last week a message went out to the Jewish community from [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky. He said, ‘Do not be afraid to speak out.’ Nazism was born in silence. Today,” Zanerhaft added, “we say no to war.”

He spoke after the temple’s cantor, Lisa Klinger-Kantor, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the Ukrainian national anthem.

It was the largest rally yet in Long Beach in support of Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian troops on Feb. 24 on orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russians have been met with fierce resistance from Ukrainians.

Zanerhaft said he was working with the Long Island chapter of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, a support group, to collect food and other items for people in Ukraine. He said that plans for collections, and specifics on where items can be donated, would be announced in the next few days.

Others speakers on Monday urged the attendees to do what they could to help those in Ukraine. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman spoke about the prayers that had been offered, but said that while prayers were always a good thing, people must speak out and act, in ways they deem appropriate.

Earlier this week, Blakeman organized an effort to collect licensed, unloaded guns from those willing to donate them. He said it was up to President Biden to get the weapons to Ukraine.

Referring to the Russian invasion, Blakeman said, “It’s murder. It’s genocide. It’s evil.”

Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford, of Long Beach, described the living conditions in Ukraine, and then said, “Let us remember: We’re not going to let Putin win,” to cheers from the crowd.

Some, like Long Beach City Council President Karen McInnis, choked up as they spoke. McInnis described a photograph that appeared on the front page of Monday’s New York Times, showing the bodies of a woman and her two children, lying in the street.

She quoted Eli Wiesel, the Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor, who said, “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

The Rev. Mark Moses, of the New Life Church of Christ in Long Beach, called for unity in the fight against the Russian aggression. “It takes the prayer of God’s people to stop these things,” Moses said. He quoted the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Either we will unite together, or perish as fools.”

The Rev. Tom (TK) Kennedy, of Center Point Church, which holds its prayer meetings at Temple Emanu-El, brought along a band that offered a rousing rendition of “One Day.” The audience rose, cheered and pointed toward the sky as the band played.

As the song ended, Aija Dorsey sat, listening, and smiled. “I love my country,” she said of Latvia. “I’m too old now, but if I were younger, I would go back and fight.”