The central Ukrainian city of Uman expects tens of thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims to attend Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) celebrations, despite the war.

In 2022, in spite of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and safety warnings, about 23,000 Hasids travelled to the small city of Uman for the holiday.

This year, “we expect over 30,000 pilgrims,” the city’s deputy mayor, Oleh Hanitsch said on Wednesday.

The estimate is based on information from tourism providers on tours sold to the city, located in the Cherkasy region.

The figure would match the number of Orthodox Jewish pilgrims who came during peacetime and before the coronavirus pandemic, Hanitsch said.

Uman is located about 200 kilometres south of the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Hasidic pilgrims made the journey each year to celebrate the holiday and visit the grave of Nachman of Breslov, a revered Hasidic leader who died in 1810.

This year, the Rosh Hashanah celebrations will take place from next Friday to Sunday, under increased security precautions.

The sale of alcohol had been banned in the city for a fortnight and fireworks were also prohibited.

As in many other areas of Ukraine, a nightly curfew remained in effect in Uman and the surrounding Cherkasy region.

According to Hanitsch, the Ukrainian police would be supported by Israeli colleagues.

Tens of thousands of strict religious Jews made a pilgrimage to Ukraine every year for the Jewish New Year to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman in Uman.

NAN

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