Over 30,000 Hasidic Jew pilgrims plan to visit the city of Uman in fall 2023 to mark Rosh Hashanah, says Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience.
Thousands of Israeli pilgrims visit the city of Cherkasy Oblast each year to pray at the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. However, Ukraine has warned that visiting Uman amid the war is dangerous.
Ukraine urges Hasidic Jews to skip Uman visit for Rosh Hashanah
“Regardless of the strong recommendations to the pilgrims to refrain from the pilgrimage to Uman as much as possible, considering the war, regular massive attacks on our country, and Russia’s possible provocations, Hasidic Jews consider a visit to Uman as their religious duty,” the service says.
“Naturally, the arrival of such number of pilgrims to a country at war requires serious logistics, medical and sanitary and other efforts and other measures from state agencies,” it adds.
According to Uman Mayor Iryna Pletniova, the city can’t offer shelter to 30,000 pilgrims. Nevertheless, Ukrainian authorities have significant experience in organizing the pilgrimage and managed to settle all issues concerning the arrival of Hasidic Jew pilgrims. This year, a website and a hotline were created for pilgrims in Ukraine containing information about the rules of stay.
Russian missile strikes kill civilians overnight in central Ukraine
On 28 April, a Russian missile attack on Uman killed 23 civilians, including six children.
