On February 19, 2026, Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine shared what, in a normal year, would read like a community logistics note: Purim is coming, and tens of thousands of holiday packages are being sent to Jewish families across Ukraine.

Nothing about Ukraine in 2026 is “normal.”

Purim this year begins after sunset on March 2, with the main day on March 3 (and in Jerusalem and other walled cities, Shushan Purim extending into March 4). It is also the fourth Purim Ukrainian Jews will mark since February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

That number matters. Four Purims under full-scale war means four years of building holiday life around sirens, blackouts, displacement, and the constant uncertainty of whether a community can gather safely. It also means something else: the holiday cycle did not break. It bent. It adapted. But it did not stop.

Forty-eight thousand packages, more than 150 communities.

The Federation says it is distributing 48,000 Purim sets to over 150 communities across the country. In practical terms, that is trucks, warehouses, sorting lines, volunteers, schedules, and local coordination. In emotional terms, it is a decision: Purim will not be reduced to a distant memory or a private, isolated gesture for the few who happen to be safer than others.

These packages are meant to help families actually observe Purim — not simply “acknowledge the date.”

According to the Federation, the sets include:

a Ukrainian-language Scroll of Esther (Megillat Esther)

a Ukrainian-language guide to celebrating Purim

mishloach manot with kosher treats

a Federation-branded bag

and a small amount of infused spirits for the festive........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)