Ukraine Prepares for Tens of Thousands of Pilgrims Visiting Uman for Rosh Hashanah

A special coordination meeting was held in Kyiv on Tuesday to prepare for the expected arrival of tens of thousands of pilgrims to Uman, Ukraine, for the Rosh Hashanah celebrations at the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. The meeting was convened by Viktor Yelensky, Ukraine's Religious Services Commissioner, and included his deputy Viktor Voinalovych, senior government officials, representatives from the Ukrainian police, security services, emergency and rescue forces, and the military.

Nahman Steinberg, representing the Breslov center in Uman, outlined the key needs of the pilgrims and highlighted critical coordination areas such as transportation, security, emergency services, crowd management, and cooperation between authorities and community representatives. Participants emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to ensure the event proceeds safely and smoothly amid ongoing security and logistical challenges.

Simultaneously, Rabbi Yaakov Jan, the chief rabbi of Uman, sent a letter to Israeli Minister of Transport and Road Safety, Miri Regev, requesting assistance in securing adequate aircraft parking slots at Ben Gurion Airport. Rabbi Jan expressed concern over a potential shortage of parking spaces due to American military aircraft occupying some slots during this period. He urged the minister to coordinate with relevant parties to guarantee all flights to Uman can depart as scheduled, facilitating the arrival of the large number of pilgrims without unnecessary difficulties.