Since the war between Russia and Ukraine erupted in 2022, the annual pilgrimage of tens of thousands of Breslov Hasidic Jews to Uman for Rosh Hashanah has become increasingly perilous. The conflict has made flights to and from Ukraine impossible, forcing Jewish pilgrims, along with thousands of other Israelis, to rely on government assistance to reach Rabbi Nachman of Breslov’s grave.
In recent days, however, reports indicate that no government ministry is willing to take responsibility for managing the pilgrimage in 2024. Last year, Jewish pilgrims flew to neighboring countries such as Moldova, Poland, Hungary, and Romania, where small border crossings struggled to handle the sudden influx of travelers.
In 2023, the Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry, led by Knesset lawmaker Meir Porush, took charge of the mission. The ministry coordinated with Israel’s National Security Council and Israeli ambassadors in neighboring countries to bolster border personnel, ensuring that Israelis could reach Rabbi Nachman's grave in time for the holiday.
The project, which cost 4 million shekels, included setting up crowd control facilities at borders, providing Hebrew-speaking representatives, assisting with coordinating procedures with local governments and security forces, guiding travelers, establishing a control room in Israel, and directing crowds to designated border areas.
This year, however, the pilgrims may be left without similar support, potentially leading to long delays at border crossings ill-equipped to handle the massive influx.
* Ynet contributed to this article.