Every morning since the Russian invasion, Taras Pavlovsky awakes and checks for messages from relatives in Ukraine.
So far, two of his second cousins have checked in daily. They write, in Ukrainian, a similar message: “Thank God, glory to God, we are still alive - for now.”
Pavlovsky, the dean of the R. Barbara Gitenstein Library at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, has never physically met the women, who are sisters, but has grown incredibly close to them and other second cousins he met over internet chats about three years ago. They’ve met frequently during the pandemic.
Now he fears for their very survival.
“This is amazingly upsetting on so many levels,” he said Tuesday.
Pavlovsky was born and raised in the United States, but raised in a “very Ukrainian spirit.”
“This is a major part of my identity,” he said of his heritage.
It’s an identity that was strengthened a few years ago when, thanks to his sister’s husband, who encouraged his wife to send her DNA to Ancestry.com, the family learned that one of their grandfathers had six more siblings they’d never known about.
Suddenly, they had a bunch of second cousins. “And we’ve become quite close,” he said.
They live in Vasylkiv, about 20 miles south of Kyiv, home to an airfield critical to the ongoing war. The mayor there, Natalia Balasynovych, has been hailed for her leadership in war, helping hold off a Russian assault of the airfield.
While Balasynovych has been lauded, it’s not been in the same worldwide acclaim as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Discussing Ukraine right now with anyone, the topic of Zelensky is sure to arise. The 44-year-old former actor and comedian turned overnight leadership legend gives Pavlovsky hope. As do the people of his ancestral homeland.
“I think the entire world...can’t help but be incredibly blessed by the spirit of Ukraine,” he said. As for Zelensky, Pavlovsky likens him to the level of George Washington, especially for his out-front, physical spearheading of his country’s defense.
“The entire world has to be impressed, including the Russian people,” he said.
As the Ukrainian people and leaders continue to inspire, Pavlovsky said it’s frustrating at times to only watch the news coming from Ukraine, and not act. “But it’s all we can do here.”
And pray.
Pavlovsky is active in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He was the choirmaster at St. Andrew Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, on the campus of the church’s USA headquarters and was there for their Monday prayer vigil - which Gov. Phil Murphy attended.
He’s now active with The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Trenton’s South Ward.
He urged people wishing to support Ukraine to write their political leaders to continue to aid the country, support humanitarian causes that will aid Ukrainians, and stay positive.
He has a naturally greater and vested interest in Ukraine, but Pavlovsky cannot stay glued to the headlines all day. He has a job with budgets to finalize, a family and said it’s too easy to fall into a pit of despair and fall into news rabbit holes over the immediate future.
“It’s just too much emotional baggage,” he said.
Pavlovsky does believe, though, that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a grave mistake. “I fervently believe this will be Putin’s downfall.”
“I am convinced, sooner or later, this will be the end of Putin, but will that be soon enough for Ukraine?”
Information on aiding and donating to Ukrainians through the Ukrainian Orthodox Church can be found at the church’s website, here, and through a direct donation link, here.
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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com.