Ukraine warns Hasidic Jews against pilgrimage amid Russian invasion

Ukraine on Tuesday urged Hasidic Jewish pilgrims travelling to the war-torn country to skip their annual pilgrimage to the city of Uman this year because of the Russian invasion.

Every year, tens of thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims come to Uman from all around the world to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman for Rosh Hashana — the Jewish new year, celebrated this year between September 25 and 27.

Rabbi Nachman from Breslov (1772-1810) was the founder of an ultra-orthodox movement that settled in Uman in the early 1800s.

“When the echoes of the Russian enemy explosions on Ukraine don’t stop, we must take care of ourselves,” the Ukrainian embassy in Israel said in a Facebook post.

“Please, avoid coming to Uman on Rosh Hashanah and pray that peace will return to Ukraine and the blessed pilgrimage will be renewed,” the embassy said.

Despite the war, more than a thousand worshippers have already arrived in the city.

Uman in central Ukraine is relatively far away from the frontline but it has been hit several times by Russian strikes, according to regional governor Igor Taburets cited by Interfax-Ukraine.

Local authorities are expecting more than 10,000 pilgrims, according to the governor.

“They say that there is a de-facto permanent war in Israel and that they’re used to it,” Taburets said.

Plans have been made for “additional restrictions” in the city already under curfew.

They include a ban on street vending and public gatherings because of the “high risk of a terrorist attack,” Taburets said.

“We know how sly our enemy is. Any public gathering is potentially vulnerable,” he added.

Russia in March accused Ukraine of using a synagogue in Uman for military purposes, including storing military supplies there.

The accusations were vehemently rejected by the local Jewish community and Kyiv.

Rabbi Nachman is one of the main figures of Hasidic judaism, a mystical movement that appeared in the 18th century and flourished in Poland and in Ukraine and in other places.

Pilgrims often cite a religious text from Nachman, who promised that he would “save (worshippers) from hell” if they came to visit his tomb on Rosh Hashana.

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