Israeli pilgrims are planning to visit Uman for Rosh Hashanah despite the military actions.

Rosh Hashanah is approaching, which this year will be celebrated from September 22 to 24. The holiday traditionally attracts pilgrims, including from Israel and other countries, to Uman. However, the current military situation in Ukraine complicates these trips, amid increased shelling by Russian armed forces.

According to a report from August 31, 2025, published in The Times of Israel, the Ukrainian government is considering banning the pilgrimage for security reasons. In the past, Kyiv has urged pilgrims to reconsider traveling to high-threat regions, yet despite this, tens of thousands of people still traveled to the country, most often through the border with Moldova.

Pilgrims, it is claimed, are not afraid of war. Many of them have lived in conditions of constant danger for many years. According to believers, the trip to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov is not just a desire to relax, but a fulfillment of a religious obligation.

An unnamed source from the Ukrainian government told i24 about Kyiv’s disappointment with the lack of support from Israel in response to threats from Russia. It is said that in the event of permission for the pilgrimage, Israel should provide both financial assistance and police escort in Uman.

Additionally, Moldovan authorities are demanding guarantees from Israel, presumably due to the fact that pilgrims will still arrive. Conditions for obtaining permission include funding a temporary terminal for additional flights, costing eight million shekels, the presence of police on selected routes, and the necessary equipment to ensure safety.

According to available data, Israel has until September 3 to meet these requirements, otherwise, the operation cannot be approved. The information about the situation was later confirmed by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, but he himself refuted it, citing statements from Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein, who stated that there are currently no changes in the policy regarding pilgrims.

Reports of a ban were also refuted by representatives of the Breslov Union in Uman, in particular, Rabbi Natan Ben-Nun. He noted that they met with Ukrainian officials this week, agreed on security measures, and received permission to hold the kibbutz.

In addition to this, it became known that the Israeli government will allocate 10 million shekels for organizing flights to Uman. Israeli police officers will also be present during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, as has happened in previous years.

It should be mentioned that in July, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to change the status of the monument “Grave of Tzadik Nachman” in Uman to a national significance status.

Tzadik Nachman of Breslov, the great-grandson of the founder of Hasidism Baal Shem Tov and the founder of the Breslov dynasty, lived in Uman, where he was buried in 1810 in the old Jewish cemetery. This grave has since become one of the most important shrines for followers of Breslov Hasidism.

Read more at – NANews Israel News