Volya and Herut: One Fight for Freedom

Earlier this week, I woke up at 5 am to the harsh sound of an explosion. The windows were shaking, and the alarms of cars were going off. After making sure that my building was not damaged, I went back to sleep. This was a typical early morning in Kyiv – another ballistic missile attack on Ukraine. I was not surprised to learn that a nearby neighborhood had been hit. There were casualties once again. 

Later that day, while I was on my way to the train station, I observed people around me. They were going about their day – heading to work, opening their businesses, taking children to school; there was even a line at McDonald’s. Everyone went on with their life despite the brutal attack that had occurred a few hours before, and I asked myself, “How do they do that?”

Leading into Passover, where we remind ourselves of the importance of freedom, I was thinking about the similarities between the Ukrainian word “Воля” (Volya) and the Hebrew word “חירות” (Herut).

The words “Воля” (Volya) in Ukrainian and “חירות” (Herut) in Hebrew both embody profound concepts of freedom, independence, and self-determination; they symbolize a collective aspiration and the spirit required to pursue liberation at all costs.

The Ukrainian word “Воля” (volya) originates from the Proto-Slavic root volja, which itself stems from the Proto-Indo-European root wel-, meaning “to wish,” “to will,” or “to desire.” For Ukrainians, “Воля” (Volya) means more than freedom; it is willpower, inner strength, resilience, and the determination to resist oppression and to live independently. As a people and nation who have been fighting for their existence and independence for centuries, this word became a motto, a way of living, and an inspiration. Against all odds, they – we – will keep fighting, living, and existing.

The Hebrew word “חירות” (Herut) stems from the root ח-ר-ר (ḥ-r-r), which means “to be free,” “to liberate,” or “to release.” For Jews, “חירות” (Herut) means more than just freedom or liberty; it is a spiritual and national liberation, independence of spirit, body, and thinking. During Passover, we repeat its importance and commemorate the passage from slavery into freedom, reinforcing the right to exist freely as distinct people. Today, we are still fighting for this right and making sure to keep our “חירות” (Herut). 

Both Israel and Ukraine are fighting for their existence, for their “Воля” (Volya) and “חירות” (Herut), in their ongoing war against oppressors who will stop at nothing to erase them both from existence. 

Ukrainians, after over three years of fighting, have been standing strong against their oppressor. Russia has openly declared that the Ukrainian nation and people do not exist, denying its language, history, and sovereignty. But their deep connection to values of freedom, democracy, and dignity keeps them going.

Throughout history, Jews have faced many enemies – terrorist organizations, hostile countries, and antisemites who deny our right to exist. We’ve endured discrimination, pogroms, the Holocaust, ongoing terror, and countless wars for survival in Israel. Yet, despite it all, we’re still here, standing strong and proving that Am Israel Chai. Even as we celebrate freedom in our homeland, 59 hostages and their families are tragically denied this reality. For them, this Passover, the word Herut feels painfully distant. They remain “Avadim” (slaves), held captive by those who seek to erase our very existence.

Passover Seder In Warsaw Poland 2022. Credit For Picture Ana Sazonov

Three years ago, I celebrated Passover in Poland along with hundreds of Ukrainian refugees. They were hoping to find safety, peace, and Herut in Israel. As I sat among them, reading the Haggadah, I felt joy knowing they will be safe and free in their other homeland—Israel. I hoped Ukrainians would soon experience their Volya too. Back then, I thought I had seen the worst. Yet, reality proved otherwise. October 7th shattered our sense of safety and posed a direct threat to our Herut—as a people and as a country.

This year, when I read the Haggadah, it will have a greater meaning for me. Both the words Volya and Herut are more than just freedom or liberty; they are empowering, they are there to remind us that we need to keep going, keep fighting, keep living, keep being. Without them, without this empowerment, we can no longer exist as people.

This Passover, when you sit at your Seder table surrounded by the people you love, reminding yourself of our past oppression “עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם” (“We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt”), take a moment to reflect on both nations and people that are still fighting for their existence. Remember the hostages, the frontline soldiers, the wounded, the veterans, the ones who lost their loved ones, who lost their homes, and think about what you can do to ensure we have “Воля” (Volya) and “חירות” (Herut) and help others to pass from slavery into freedom, in body and mind. 

Let us all be Bnei Chorin at home, in Israel, in Ukraine, and around the world. Let’s draw strength from the resilience of Ukrainians, Israelis, and Jews and keep existing, living, and thriving. Chag Sameach.