Uman
UmanBerele Crombie

The Breslov Hassidic community clarified today (Thursday) that in the coming days, an inspection of shelters in the area of the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine, will be carried out to verify their integrity in preparation for the Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) pilgrimage.

About two weeks ago, a delegation of experts from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense arrived in the Jewish quarter in Uman and, together with representatives of the Breslov community in Uman, conducted a general review of the condition of the shelters and protected spaces in all the various complexes in the area.

"In the coming week, the experts of the Ministry of Defense will conduct an audit of the preparations in the various communities and groups' complexes as another step towards the grouping of the Breslov Hasidim in Uman," said the Breslov community.

It was further clarified that according to the order of the military government, a compound that does not undergo an audit and is not approved will be prohibited from use during Rosh Hashanah.

It was also reported that "according to the emergency instructions in Ukraine, it is mandatory to put up clear signage, in Ukrainian, Hebrew, and English, with precise direction to the protected area including direction arrows".

At the same time, Israel's Minister Meir Porush met with the Rabbi of Moldova, Rabbi Pinchas Salzman, for a long conversation about the passage of the thousands of worshipers who will come for Rosh Hashanah through the border crossings between the countries of Moldova and Ukraine.

According to the Porush, the civilian airports in Ukraine have been closed for over a year and a half due to the war and shelling in the country. The closest and most convenient airport to Uman is the International Airport of Moldova, near the capital, Chisinau.

At the beginning of the meeting, Rabbi Salzman presented the experts' and airlines' estimates that the number of pilgrims will double on Rosh Hashanah. "It will be a problem to arrive through other airports, so it is expected that 90% of worshipers' flights will land in Chisinau and continue to Uman through one of the border crossings between Moldova and Ukraine."

Later, Minister Porush was exposed to the logistical and bureaucratic preparation that the local Jewish community is currently carrying out with the aim of helping to quickly deal with the multitudes of Hassidim who will land in Chisinau and move towards the border crossings.

Minister Porush reported that he will soon visit Moldova together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of closely monitoring the preparations and meeting with officials in the government and authorities in Moldova to ensure the safety of Breslov Hasidic Jews traveling to Rosh Hashanah in Uman. "We need to use Rabbi Salzman's and the local Jewish community's in-depth acquaintance with the Moldavian and Ukrainian security agencies and the relevant parties on the ground to facilitate the passage of the thousands of Hassidim through the land borders and their safe and secure arrival in the city of Uman," Minister Porush said.

At the meeting, it was agreed upon a direct communication channel between Rabbi Salzman and the local Jewish community to the Office of the Minister of Jerusalem and Israel's Traditions and the projector on the issue of Uman, within the framework of which the parties will be updated on activities to facilitate the passage of those coming to Uman on Rosh Hashanah through the airport in Chisinau.