HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida couple were one of several hundred Broward County residents who received a special delivery for Passover, and their loved ones shared the story of their personal exodus from Eastern Europe prior to World War II.
7News cameras captured Moshe and Sofia Vorona as they received a Passover meal in Hollywood, Thursday.
Their son, Vladimir Vorona, said his parents, who have been married nearly 70 years, were both 5 years old when Germany invaded Ukraine.
“My mom was born in Mykolaiv,” he said.
Moshe’s family lived in Chișinău, now the capital of Moldova. The couple met after they made their way to the United States, and they realized they were both refugees in the same city.
“My parents are alive today because they were able to escape the Nazis’ invasion. Nazis took over the whole Ukraine,” said Vladimir.
As the current war with Russia rages on, the Voronas are witnessing for a second time an invasion of Ukraine by a neighboring country.
Vladimir said it’s difficult for them.
“My parents cannot stop talking about it, literally,” he said.
On this holiday, a time to think of others, the couple received a traditional Passover meal and other support, thanks to the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program.
“Thank you, thank you so much,” said Sofia.
“We’re so fortunate to be able to do this for them and to do this with them,” said Randy Colman, CEO of Goodman Jewish Family Services, “but they think that we’re providing them with the biggest gift in the world, and it’s really a gift for us to be able to do it.”
Vladimir said his parents have been grateful to live in the United States, ever since day one.
“This is a very friendly country, so we are really lucky to be here,” he said. “I have a lot of friends in different countries; not all of them understand. You need to experience it here to understand how good this country is, to immigrants of any kind.”
Goodman Jewish Family Services will deliver over 600 kosher Seder meals to Holocaust survivors throughout Broward County.
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