Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Despite War, Thousands Of Jews In Ukrainian City For Annual Pilgrimage

Despite War, Thousands Of Jews In Ukrainian City For Annual Pilgrimage

Every year, Hasidic Jewish pilgrims come to Uman in central Ukraine from across the world to visit the tomb of one of the main figures of Hasidic Judaism.

Tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews gathered in the Ukrainian city of Uman for their annual pilgrimage, officials said Sunday, despite authorities asking them to skip the trip because of the war.

Every year, Hasidic Jewish pilgrims come to Uman in central Ukraine from across the world to visit the tomb of one of the main figures of Hasidic Judaism for the Jewish new year celebration of Rosh Hashanah.

"This is the most important day of the year to be able to connect with God. And this a great place to do it," one pilgrim, Aaron Allen, told AFP.

Uman is relatively far from the frontline, but Ukrainian and Israeli authorities still urged worshippers to skip the celebrations taking place between September 25 and 27 this year.

Despite the warnings, crowds of Hasidim dressed in traditional black clothing gathered in Uman, celebrating in the streets.

"There were sirens, but coming from Israel we are used to sirens, we know what to do. We feel pretty safe," said Allen, a 48-year-old doctor from Yad Binyamin.

Pilgrims often cite a religious text from Rabbi Nachman, the founder of an ultra-Orthodox movement who died in the city in 1810, in which he promised he would "save (worshippers) from hell" if they came to visit his tomb on Rosh Hashanah.

Police set up a wide perimeter to access the area around the grave, checking IDs and only letting through residents and Hasidim.

The sale of alcohol, fireworks and toy guns is forbidden during the festivities in Uman, regional police spokeswoman Zoya Vovk told AFP. A curfew between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am is also in place.

Buzzing celebrations

In his daily address to the nation on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted to "congratulate the Ukrainian Jewish community and all Jews around the world on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah."

"May all prayers for victory, all prayers for peace in Ukraine be heard", he added.

And despite the restrictions, the shrine housing the tomb was buzzing with celebrations on Sunday.

Pilgrims -- only men and boys -- were praying, pressed against the white walls and columns of the burial place.

Outside, a simultaneous prayer from hundreds of pilgrims resonated.

Metres away from the temple, shouting over a multi-voiced prayer, pilgrim Yaniv Vakhnin explained how Rabbi Nachman could provide solace at the most challenging of times.

"Rabbi Nachman says that even (when) there is war in a country whoever listens to him will not be affected", the 48-year-old from Safed in northern Israel said.

"We are protected fully by the tzaddik (Nachman), and we feel very safe and very happy to be together," he added.

Vakhnin said it took him 30 hours to get to Uman: first a flight to neighbouring Romania and then a 15-hour bus journey.

He came to Ukraine as a confirmation of the steadfastness of his faith with two of his children, while five more remained at home.

"We are going to pray to God. And hopefully Ukraine will not be hurt and will win the war, because Rabbi Nachman is buried here, so Ukraine is protected," Vakhnin said.

The United Jewish Community of Ukraine organisation said that more than 23,000 pilgrims had arrived in Uman.

Police will not reveal exactly how many pilgrims have attended until the end of the festivities for fear of attacks from Russia.

"We understand that there is a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and that the enemy is monitoring information," police spokeswoman Vovk told AFP.

"The only thing I can say is tens of thousands (of pilgrims have already arrived)".

In September 2020, thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews were trapped for days between the borders of Belarus and Ukraine after Kyiv refused to allow them entry due to the Covid pandemic.

Uman was hit by Russian missiles in the early weeks of the war, and last month a civilian was killed by a Russian missile in the district.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
×