Breslov Rabbis Hold Ceremony Honoring Ukrainian Government for Support During Uman Rosh Hashanah Gathering

A distinguished gathering took place at the residence of Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter, the senior Breslov Hasidic leader, where prominent Breslov rabbis convened to express gratitude to the Ukrainian government for its support of thousands of Breslov Hasidim attending the large Rosh Hashanah gathering in Uman. The event featured many leading rabbis from the Breslov community, including Rabbi Shmuel Moshe Kramer and the official rabbi of Uman, Rabbi Yaakov Cohen Shiloach, alongside other influential figures such as Rabbi Avraham Shimon Burshtain, Rabbi Yechezkel Sasson, and Rabbi Shimon Eliyahu Brown.

The ceremony was organized at the request of Rabbi Nachman Gabayetz, a longtime trustee of the Breslov rabbis. During the event, carefully prepared certificates of appreciation were presented to key Ukrainian officials: Governor of Cherkasy Oblast Igor Taburets and Viktor Yelansky, head of the Ukrainian State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, who oversees matters related to the Breslov Hasidim gathering. A special, ornate letter of thanks was also dedicated to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people, acknowledging the warm reception Breslov Hasidim receive annually in Ukraine.

Rabbi Shechter personally handed the letter to Rabbi Natan Ben Nun, chairman of the Breslov Union in Uman, to deliver it respectfully to Ukrainian leaders. Several rabbis spoke about the importance of gratitude, including Rabbi Tzvi Libermansh and Rabbi Chaim Menachem Kramer, who delivered his remarks in English. The event concluded with a heartfelt prayer for the success of the holy gathering and for the thousands of young men under arrest orders due to military conscription pressures. The assembly ended joyfully with spirited singing of "Uman, Uman Rosh Hashanah," reflecting the deep yearning of Breslov Hasidim for the pilgrimage to the sacred site.