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At a seaside hotel in Netanya, Ukrainians repeat the unfamiliar sounds of Hebrew letters as they adjust to life in Israel.
There are about 120 Ukrainians at the Ramada Hotel, which stands metres from the shore, after fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.
“It doesn’t matter that we’re here, in safety. We have a lot of relatives, friends in Ukraine with their own families, some pets, that stayed in danger,” said Anna Montarento, 39, who escaped from the north-east city of Kharkiv.
About 20,000 Ukrainians have reached Israel since the war broke out on February 24, according to government figures. The UN has recorded more than 4.2 million refugees fleeing to other countries.
Ukrainians are currently allowed to travel to Israel only with prior approval, with most needing to prove personal ties to the country. Jews the world over are welcome to emigrate.
Ms Montarento has relatives in Israel and embarked on a multi-day journey when the conflict erupted, witnessing the horrifying results of Russian bombardments.
Her 17-year-old son did not want to leave.
“He wanted to stay and fight. I just grabbed him and forced him to travel, and now he has found friends here and he’s fine. He’s thinking about the future,” said Ms Montarento, who worked as a manager for a construction company.
Volunteers at the hotel from Alynu, an organisation supporting Jewish immigration, have organised children’s activities and a music night.
One of the Ukrainians said staff offer them more food at breakfast time than other guests.
Leonid Rubanovski, the managing director of a coffee factory in the capital Kyiv, described a fellow Ukrainian being sent by taxi, free of charge, to receive medical treatment.
“Every day something like that happens,” the 60-year-old said. “We feel like little children in a kindergarten that are being helped.”
The Ukrainians have been given a one-month stay at the hotel, funded by the government, during which they must organise their documents and find somewhere else to live.
Nicolai Manin, 30, who had a job in quality assurance in Kyiv, said they have been assigned a local co-ordinator to help make arrangements.
“I’m thinking of staying here. Because it’s a good country to live in, and we understand that the future, for the next several years, it could be difficult even to live in our country,” he said.
While Mr Manin said the Ukrainians are trying to support one another, they will face linguistic and financial hurdles.
Israel is the seventh most expensive country in the world in which to live, according to the Numbeo cost of living index, compared with Ukraine at number 121.
A volunteer said they are trying to help the guests find the most affordable accommodation, which will certainly not be in Netanya or urban hubs such as Tel Aviv.
Recalling his time in Kyiv, Mr Manin said it was like the “regular life of people who have freedom”.
“I went to the gym and spent time with my friends, for example, having a coffee on the bank of the Dnieper River,” which runs through the capital, he said.
Such cafe culture has been on the increase in Kyiv over the past decade, according to Mr Rubanovski.
“The quality of the coffee is wonderful,” he said.
“We love Ukraine,” Mr Rubanovski said. “We also love Israel, because it’s the country that let us in.”
While Israel has granted a limited number of Ukrainians entry since the outbreak of war, the country has not taken a firm stance on the conflict.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has styled himself as a potential mediator, travelling to Moscow last month for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Israel’s foreign minister, Yair Lapid, has taken a different approach. On Tuesday, he accused Russian forces of committing “war crimes against a defenceless civilian population” in Ukraine.
While the guests at the Ramada Hotel are trying to establish a new life, those they left behind in Ukraine are never far from their minds.
“Every morning and evening we are calling our friends, just to know that they are alive,” Ms Montarento said.
“It’s terrifying.”
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
