UKRAINE — Despite continuing Russian attacks and widespread damage to infrastructure, a massive Rosh Hashanah relief operation is underway to ensure that tens of thousands of Jews across Ukraine can celebrate Yom Tov with food and traditional holiday necessities.

Jewish Relief Network Ukraine is distributing food packages throughout the country ahead of Rosh Hashanah, as Ukraine's Jewish communities prepare to mark their fifth Rosh Hashanah since the beginning of the full-scale war.

The operation comes following recent attacks on Kyiv and other areas that damaged food-production facilities, industrial sites and logistics infrastructure. JRNU says shortages have left supermarket shelves in some affected areas nearly empty, making this year's distribution particularly important.

At the center of the operation is a kosher honey facility in the Kyiv region. Despite nearby logistics centers and warehouses suffering damage in recent attacks, the facility itself remained standing and has continued production even amid air-raid sirens.

JRNU has increasingly moved production of essential kosher foods inside Ukraine, reducing dependence on complicated wartime imports. In addition to locally produced honey, meat and poultry are being produced domestically for the distribution effort.

The Rosh Hashanah packages include poultry, fresh meat, dairy products, canned foods and locally produced honey. Special holiday boxes also contain honey cakes brought from Israel, honey cookies from eastern Ukraine, Jewish calendars and materials explaining the Yom Tov and its minhagim.

The supplies are being transported to Jewish community centers across Ukraine before being distributed locally to families.

Organizers say they are preparing for thousands of families to participate in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services despite the continuing war and daily security challenges.

The effort provides a striking glimpse of Jewish life continuing across Ukraine as communities prepare to usher in 5787 under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.