Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a warning to Israeli citizens making plans for Uman in Ukraine, due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. According to the ministry, the Israeli embassy does not have a continuous presence in Ukraine in those days. and therefore consular facilities cannot be provided.
Some 50,000 hasidim from Israel and around the world come to Uman every year to make a stop at the tomb of Reb Nachman of Breslov. Reb Nachman (1772-1810), founder of the Breslov movement and great-grandson of Baal Shem Tov, revived Hasidism by combining the secrets of Kabbalah with the study of the Torah and allegorical stories.
Explosive security in Ukraine, which includes aerial bombardment and rocket fire on civilian centers, poses a real and existing danger to life, which is why the Foreign Ministry called months ago on Israelis in Ukraine to leave.
On July 7, Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, announced that “given the continued aggression of the Russian army against Ukraine and the inability to ensure the protection of foreigners, Ukraine cannot settle for pilgrims who come to Uman every year for Rosh Hashanah. “
“Despite our most productive efforts, we ensure the protection of pilgrims and lately we do not allow tourists and visitors to enter Ukraine,” Korniychuk added.
But Ukraine’s deputy ambassador to Moldova, Volodymyr Manzhola, gave the impression of contradicting Korniychuk last July when he announced that Ukraine would not ban pilgrims from entering the country and would help chassidim to Uman through Moldova.
In September 2020, one thousand Chassidim from Breslov were stranded on Belarus’ border with Ukraine, where police blocked their access due to coronavirus regulations.
Printed by: https://www. jewishpress. com/news/israel/israel-issues-travel-warning-to-uman-ukraine-ahead-of-high-holidays/2022/07/26/