At The Jewish Agency’s Dacha summer camp in Lithuania, 141 kids and teens affected by the Russia-Ukraine war have been enjoying the chance to get away and bond with peers who weres similarly impacted by the conflict. The camp, organized in partnership with the local organization YStreet in the Baltic countries, aims to foster a stronger connection to Jewish culture and heritage while emphasizing Israel’s relationship with global Jewish communities.

Laina, 16, from Behemoth, Ukraine, is one of the campers at Dacha. When the war started, her life took an unexpected turn as her family moved to Kyiv, seeking safety.

“We were terrified and didn’t know where to go when the war began. The constant explosions and shelling left our city in ruins, and it was no longer safe for us to stay there,” recalled Laina. “We lived in Kyiv for a few months, but when the city became the target of rocket attacks, my parents decided that my mother and I should move to another country. We moved to Germany, but my father had to stay in Ukraine. I really hope to see him as soon as possible.”

With her grandmother deciding to stay behind in Behemoth, facing an uncertain future with the city under Russian occupation, and Laina’s father back in Ukraine as well, Laina worries for them both. Meanwhile, as she and her mother settled in Germany, they faced challenges.

“We are building a new life in a new country, where everything is unfamiliar and foreign, and doing so knowing that the city where I was born and lived all my life no longer exists — there is nothing left there, no buildings, no people. Only memories and pain remain,” shared Laina.

Stefania, 15, from Dnipro, Ukraine, is also a camper at Dacha. When the shelling began in her city in February 2022, her family was forced to quickly gather their belongings and seek shelter in her grandparents’ home. Their journey to safety was difficult, with long queues at gas stations and the constant threat of danger.

After Stefania’s family sought refuge in western Ukraine for a month, hoping for a break from the war’s impact, their yearning for home ultimately led them back to Dnipro. Since then, the sounds of alarms and shelling have become a haunting reality for Stefania and her family, a constant reminder of the ongoing conflict.

“I have heard the sounds of the alarm and shelling so many times, and I have seen people running in panic. It may seem impossible to get used to war, but with each passing day, we become more and more accustomed to the situation, the noise becoming a background of life,” explained Stefania. “All we want is to be able to walk down the street without fear, without hiding…to return to normal life.”

At the Dacha camp, Stafania, Laina and the other participants are soaking up the much-needed respite from war. Though the conflict continues, Stefania’s spirit remains resilient and she dreams of a future free from fear, where children can live without the shadow of war.

“I dream that this war will end soon,” Stefania said. “There is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing small children living in fear, but the scariest thing is that they might get used to it.”

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