Michael Jaroker

Shortly after Michael’s birth, his father was among the first to go to war to defend Ukraine against the fascist invasion during World War II. The war began in June, and by July he was already on the front lines. He fought throughout the entire war and was killed in 1945. He was listed as missing in action.

Michael’s mother, Hana, was left to raise two children on her own - Michael and his older sister Asya, who was six years his senior. As German forces approached Kyiv, Hana managed, at the very last moment, to evacuate her children on one of the final boats heading east. They fled to Central Asia within the Soviet Union, where republics such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan sheltered refugees. During this evacuation, Michael became gravely ill and was close to death. His mother sold the very last thing of value she owned - her fur coat - at a market, exchanging it for a single small chicken. She made a chicken broth from it and fed Michael spoon by spoon from an iron mug. Slowly, he began to recover. That moment marked the realization that he would live.

When they later learned that the Germans had retreated from Kyiv, the family returned home, only to discover that their apartment had been taken over by the building’s janitor. Despite Hana being a widow with two small children and despite her husband having died in the war, the family never regained their home, even after court appeals. With nowhere to live, Hana went door to door seeking shelter for her children. Eventually, they found a small attic in a nearby building, where they lived for many years.

Michael grew up loving the Dnipro River. As a boy, he fished to help his mother survive. He began working around the age of fifteen, often coming home with bruised and injured hands from hard work. His mother cried for her son, seeing how much he endured, but Michael continued to work, determined to support his family. As he grew older, Michael voluntarily joined the army - a period he later described as some of the best years of his life. He formed deep friendships and quickly distinguished himself for his intelligence and creativity. He helped design tools and devices to simplify construction work and was highly respected by his leadership for his ability to organize and improve complex processes. During his military service, Michael earned certification as a projectionist and became the cultural coordinator for his unit. He traveled to other cities to find the newest films and screened them for both soldiers and local residents. Bringing joy to others, during harsh Soviet times, made him deeply happy. He loved his older sister Asya very much. During one of her visits, he arranged a private film screening just for her at the Spartak Cinema. She watched alone for hours, a memory he later recalled with great warmth, remembering how much he wanted to surprise and delight her.

After returning from the army, Michael worked in electrical and industrial installation. By profession, he was a highly gifted electrical engineer. His teams constructed major electrical infrastructure projects, laying large-scale power lines and working on complex installations. In 1974, Michael and his family came to the United States as refugees, escaping the growing antisemitism of the Soviet Union. The early years were difficult. He did not yet speak the language, but he was hired quickly because of his exceptional ability to read technical drawings and solve complex engineering problems.

Michael worked for many years at a confectionery candy factory, where he was responsible for industrial equipment as an electrical engineer. He performed what many considered miracles - restoring and repairing machinery that others believed was beyond saving. In one notable case, equipment valued at approximately six million dollars was revived and repaired by Michael and his German colleague, restoring a highly complex production line. He was deeply respected by management, quickly in a couple years purchased a home for his family and devoted himself to his family. He ensured they received excellent educations. His son became an IT engineer, and his daughter became a teacher.

Michael later founded a Ukrainian American joint venture windows, doors and related aluminum products company, INTERWINDOWS, where he served as president for over twenty years in Odesa, Ukraine. Under his leadership, the company flourished, contributing to the construction of distinctive and beautiful buildings across Ukraine, as well as several projects in the United States. He met many remarkable people throughout his life, including Shimon Peres, and was a friend of renowned film director Georgiy Daneliya and his family. Michael himself reached extraordinary heights in his work. He built stunning structures of glass and concrete that adorn cities across Ukraine today. His work in Odesa, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, the United States, and many other places remains part of the landscape and lives on.

Michael helped families in need, supported educators, assisted business owners, and quietly extended kindness wherever he could. In 2010, he came back to the United States, his permanent home, living with his second wife and stepdaughter, who are both artists. Michael Jaroker left a profound mark on this world, through the buildings he created the people he helped, and the family he loved so deeply. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched and the goodness he gave freely. He was a benefactor and one of the builders of the rehabilitation center for children with disabilities, House with the Angel, in Odesa, Ukraine. His name will forever remain on the wall among the benefactors who helped build and create this center. This was one of the projects that held especially deep meaning for him. Michael often shared the story of a miracle that occurred during the installation of the statue at the center. The statue was designed to appear as though the angel were floating in the air. During installation, something went wrong and the statue began to fall. It should have crashed to the ground, potentially injuring someone or shattering the glass façade, which Michael’s company had already installed as stained-glass windows on the building, but a miracle happened. The statue did not fall. No one was hurt. The glass remained intact. Michael always remembered this moment and spoke of it as a true miracle. The statue was later successfully installed, and today it truly appears to float in the air. At this center, children with disabilities receive treatment free of charge, and their parents are supported throughout the process. For Michael, this project was deeply important as one of the most meaningful works of his life.

In general, Michael’s family and his relatives were truly exceptional people. So it was no coincidence that Michael himself became such an outstanding, talented engineer and an extraordinary individual. For example, his second cousin, Hy Suchman, was a well-known metal sculptor in America. His sculptures today adorn the Metropolitan Museum. Another close relative was Teddy Kollek, who served as the mayor of Jerusalem five times. So, it was God’s design that Michael was born into a family where many talented people emerged. And Michael, in turn, added his own remarkable talents to that legacy.

Michael loved Ukraine deeply. It was the love of his life. When Russia’s full-scale invasion against Ukraine began in February 2022, it was a profound shock to him. The genocide being carried out, the loss of young lives, innocent civilians, children, and the elderly filled him with horror and grief. In his final years, he carried this pain heavily. Despite constant shelling in Odesa, Michael continued to travel there whenever he could. He would say, “If everyone leaves, what will happen to Ukraine?” In his own way, he tried to remain present and supportive. Michael believed that Ukraine and Israel share similar destinies and must stand closely together, supporting one another in order to prevail against evil. Michael believed in Ukraine’s future. He prepared himself for its rebuilding after the war and dreamed of continuing to build, create, and help the country rise again.