When I was in elementary school, I remember being intrigued by the concept (and success of the )  Underground Railroad.  Which, of course, despite the wonderful novel (and less accomplished miniseries) written by Colson Whitehead was not really a railroad line.  It was just semi-formal route where slaves and free blacks could escape to safe havens in the Northern and Mid-Western regions of the USA.

A similar method was developed to help Jews escape from Nazi clutches during World War II.  Many Jewish children were hidden in churches, other children were sent to Britain, others  still to Palestine (soon to become Israel).

There are other uplifting tales.  Like the wonderful novel (The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah) that depicts how a French woman – at great personal risk- manages to save a slew of soldiers who find themselves in Occupied France during the war.

I wondered what it would have been like to have participated in such rescue efforta.   It is probably that (and the rule for Tikun Olam- the repairing of the world- a basic tenet of my religion) what led me to attempt to register Blacks to vote in the south in the 1960s. That certainly involved personal peril (which, to be honest, never entered my mind as a possibility before it happened!).

But, we have a current event that can teach us- and our children- what the Underground Railroad experience must have been like.  Where folks are putting themselves on the line to rescue Ukrainian children from being forcibly kidnaped by Russian war criminals.

You see, Russia is effecting the systematic transfer of Ukrainian kids in the portions of the Ukraine they have overrun to “re-education” as Russian citizens.  (Think of the Uighur experience in China.)   This practice is in contravention of International Law (in particular, the 1948 Genocide Convention).

Once the kids have been moved, they are provided Russian passports which given the sanctions Europe has imposed, means that travel to any EU nation is forbidden.  The best estimate is that the Russians have successfully kidnaped about 11000 kids so far, being “reeducated in some 43 preexisting camps in Crimea and Russia.  (Adults are offered $ 140 apiece to change their allegiance from the Ukraine to Russia, and don’t seem to be kidnapped.)

So, a slew of Slavic volunteers, not affiliated with one another, nor part of an organization, all living in different cities, have banded together (they never meet one another, either). To keep those children from Russian clutches. And, you can bet that the Russian Security Forces (and Putin’s Private Mercenary  Group [the Wagner Group]) , are seeking these volunteers out.

Just like back when the Underground Railroad was in existence, these folks all do different things. Some process requests, other plot routes, others deal with pets, clothing, medicine, food. Some serve as drivers.  Now, theoretically what these folks are doing is not illegal- except Russia considers them enemies of the state.  (Charities like HIAS are raising funds to hel[ these efforts continue.)

Let’s hope they can maintain their activities and protect as many folks as a possible from this “reeducation process”!

Share this: