From Dodging Bullets to Baby Bottles: Ukrainian Immigrants Show Us How to Multitask in War

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In the land where the hot weather isn’t the only thing that boils over, we find ourselves in the heart of “Operation Swords of Iron.” Who knew that a military campaign could turn ordinary immigrants into heroic figures while serving as a backdrop for a sitcom about life’s grim absurdity?

Meet Danil Esterkin, a Russian-speaking Ukrainian who stumbled into military life after swapping boring vacations for unscripted conflict in Gaza. While most people would panic at the thought of terrorists on the loose in your cozy neighborhood of Sderot, Danil was busy being a good son-in-law, preparing the house for visiting in-laws instead of, you know, packing up and running for the hills. Clearly, nothing says “Israel is home” quite like watching the chaos unfold via phone while realizing your ideal vacation was a terrible decision from the very start.

Now, let’s talk about Danil’s “miracle of Shabbat.” Turns out his photography skills, which upped his Instagram game back in 2005, became a rather inappropriate accessory in the heat of battle. With most of us taking snapshots of brunch, Danil underwent a profound “why bother?” existential crisis that’s apparently universal among human beings confronted with real disaster.

But wait! There’s more tragedy! His wife, Ella, had to juggle a newborn and a six-year-old all by herself while Danil was off playing cowboys and terrorists. What a touching testimony to parenting under pressure! And behold the miracle: they never thought of leaving Israel! Because why not stick around in a climactic thriller where the script sounds like it was penned by a group of sarcastic undergraduates?

Fast forward to Daniel Gorodensky, who has a PhD in managing emotional breakdowns. After serving his time and feeling like a prize-winning tomato crushed beneath retired couches, he decided to share his experience of mental collapse with the world. Because if you’re going to spiral, at least you can do it in a support group filled with people who understand your shared trauma and kitchen disasters. Thanks to the organization Shishi Shabbat Yisraeli, Daniel wasn’t alone in despair; he had a whole team standing by, armed with baked challah and community support.

And let’s not forget Julia, the lone soldier from Ukraine bravely representing the new wave of immigrants trading in their pasts for a combat role in Israel—never mind that it’s probably not the destiny everyone dreams about when they hear “come and make a new life.” Shouldn’t the brochure for moving to Israel at least come with a side of warning saying “adventure may include actual warfare”?

Since October 7, 2024, 24,000 new immigrants have flown in from lands far and wide, mostly from the Soviet Union—because who doesn’t want to shake things up with some good old-fashioned irony? They’re jumping into combat like it’s a new hobby, and let’s applaud their eagerness to dive headfirst into the madness of human existence.

So here we have three shining examples of resilience and courage: Danil, Daniel, and Julia. Raised glasses, everyone! These Russian-speaking superheroes have firmly placed themselves into the absurd mosaic that Israel proudly labels “defense.” Because if there’s anything this country needs, it’s a collective laugh in a world that so often feels like a tragic comedy—all while hoping tomorrow doesn’t feature a plot twist involving more missile alerts. Welcome to the show!