Ukraine’s Ambassador, Yevgen Korniychuk, has announced that the country will impose restrictions on the number of Israeli visitors allowed to enter its borders for this upcoming Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to the city of Uman. The decision comes in response to safety concerns arising from the ongoing Russian hostilities. The statement issued by Ambassador Korniychuk does not specify the exact limitations, but it emphasizes the necessity to safeguard potential targets, including Jewish faith leaders and worshipers, in the face of potential threats. The fear is that the presence of a large gathering in Uman could attract hostile actions from Russian forces. “For the safety of all those involved, we feel it is essential to minimize the potential risk. Hence, we have decided to implement limitations on the number of visitors,” reads the statement. The annual pilgrimage to the kever of Rabbi Nachman of Uman has traditionally drawn a substantial number of Jewish pilgrims, primarily from Israel. In recent years, the event has seen more than 30,000 Jewish visitors converging on the city. In 2020 and 2021, Ukrainian authorities denied entry to Israeli tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many individuals attempted to circumvent the ban, leading to challenges in managing the pilgrimage’s scale. Despite ongoing warnings and the backdrop of an active war, an estimated 20,000 pilgrims defied the restrictions and arrived in Uman last year. (AP)
The post Ukraine Again Imposing Limits On Visitors To Uman For Rosh Hashana appeared first on The Yeshiva World.