Over 32,000 Jewish Pilgrims Arrive In Ukrainian City Despite War

More than 10,000 have entered Ukraine since Thursday alone.

Thousands of Hasidic or Orthodox Jewish pilgrims arrived in the Ukrainian city of Uman for the Jewish New Year despite Russia’s ongoing war against its neighbour.

More than 32,000 religious Jews arrived ahead of the two-day celebration, which begins at sundown on Friday, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said.

More than 10,000 have entered Ukraine since Thursday alone.

For security reasons, checkpoints have been set up around Uman to control and register pilgrims.

The celebrations would continue until Sunday.

Every year, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews make a pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman for the Jewish New Year.

Uman is a town located almost 200 kilometres south of Kyiv and had a population of over 80,000 before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Uman has been hit several times by Russian missile and drone attacks.

Israel has intensified warnings to its citizens against travelling to the war zone.