There is no doubt that Ukraine’s President Zelensky will go down in history as one of the greatest leaders of all time. In my mind, he embodies what it means to be a true leader.

   Putin expected the war to last two days max. He thought the Russian army would be out of Ukraine as fast as they went in. They are now in the fourth week of fighting, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

   Zelensky grew up in a Soviet Jewish family in the eastern part of Ukraine. Because of the existence of the Soviet Union, religion was not a huge thing in most Eastern European countries. Zelensky, 44, was raised in the remains of the Soviet Union, so he felt its impact. He tends to keep that part of his identity private, saying that he “never speaks about religion and never speaks about Gd because [he has] his own personal opinion about it.”

   Putin claims his “special military operation” in Ukraine is for the purpose of “denazifying” the country. The pure irony in this statement is that Zelensky comes from a family of Holocaust survivors. His grandfather was the only surviving member of his family of six that survived the Nazi invasion of Ukraine. It is unclear if Zelensky’s relatives were killed in combat or as a part of the Holocaust, but that doesn’t change the fact that the president of Ukraine’s family were victims of the Nazis.

   The war has collided with one of Judaism’s holidays that sadly is consistently relevant to the times: Purim. Purim is known as the story of when Queen Esther saved the Jews. Long story short, Haman, Prime Minister of Persia, convinced King Ahasuerus to agree to his plan to kill the Jews on the 13 of Adar (a month in the Hebrew calendar). Up until this point, Esther had kept her Jewish identity hidden from the King out of fear. Mordechai, Esther’s cousin, encouraged her to reveal her true identity to try and save the Jews. Esther found the bravery to risk her life and reveal her Jewish identity to the King. He ordered for Haman to be killed, and the Jews were saved.

   Esther did not have to risk her life. Nobody knew she was Jewish; she could have kept quiet and been certain of her survival. But it would mean standing by and watching her people die.

   President Zelensky was offered an out. He was not forced to stay in Ukraine and put his life on the line. But he did. His response to the West when he was offered a getaway car was, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” 

   Like Esther, Zelensky chose to risk his life. He is standing by his people. 

   And this is exactly what makes Zelensky a true leader. He is not just fighting for his country, he is fighting with them. 

   Can you think of any other current president or national leader that would fight on the front lines besides his soldiers? I surely can’t. In fact, the only U.S. president ever to serve in combat and office simultaneously was George Washington (during the Whisky Rebellion when he personally led the militia). 

   Zelensky’s actions and determination is a main reason why the war didn’t end after the two days the Russians anticipated. He is a motivator and inspiration not just to the Ukrainian people, but to all who believe in freedom.