Jewish New Year: Ukraine Sees Record Number of Hasidic Pilgrims, Despite the War

An estimated 33,000 Hasidic pilgrims recently arrived in the Ukrainian city of Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration which began Oct. 2 and will last until Oct. 4. Every year, thousands of ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jews flock to this city, where the grave of Breslow Hasidic movement founder, Rebbe Nachman is located.

Kyiv Post visited Uman to find out if pilgrims were afraid to come to Ukraine and what the celebration means to them.

I’m in Uman, a central Ukrainian city whose population is normally around 80,000 which swells every year as Hasidic Jews arrive to mark the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. For three days, they dance, celebrate, and live freely. They come to Uman because Rebbe Nachman of Breslav, who is buried here. His grave is the main focus of the pilgrimage.

Yousef, who has come from New York, says despite the war in Ukraine, he is not afraid to come here, because a holy place cannot be in danger.

“I like it to be here near Rabbi Nachman, it’s very nice and special. Rabbi Nachman said more than 200 years ago that this is a special place, a source of blessing to the world, and makes the whole year sweet for everyone. It doesn't matter whether it is safer or not, God is everywhere here, and we do what is right.. There’s good people everywhere. That’s nice. They are happy to see us, we are happy to see them,” one pilgrim said.

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Nearly half of the Hasidim here today are American. For them, this is an opportunity to connect with eternity.

“We are protected here, we’re in a holy place. I love Ukraine. It’s a beautiful place, with very nice people. God bless America, God bless Israel, and God bless Ukraine,” Jidjia from Florida told Kyiv Post.

Many others came from Israel, and they tend to be more conservative. They express concern about the situation in Israel, especially following Iran’s recent attack. They often compare the situations in Israel and Ukraine, and equate Iran to Russia, while believing that good will eventually triumph.

“No, we aren’t afraid. We’re from Israel, and we aren’t afraid of anybody. Where is Hamas? Where is Nasrallah? We will win because God is with us. And God is with Ukraine because Putin is weak. I’m sure of it. You see, he can do nothing,” Khanaan from Israel said.

“Zelensky is good, and you have a good military,” Elly from New York said.

The pilgrims express their gratitude to Ukraine for ensuring the organization and security of the holiday, even during the war.

“I’ve been here for four days, and I want to say a big thank you to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. You are great! We know it’s tough for you, but we come back year after year. Yeah, I know, it’s very hard to hear about all the situation in Israel, but we pray with our Rabbi Nachman and I hope that the situation in Israel will be solved soon,” Ilaya from Israel said.

Ilaya, Khanaan, Yousef, and Jidjia have all been here before, like many of the other pilgrims. They stay close to Rebbe Nachman’s tomb, with security provided by both Israeli and Ukrainian police. Despite the large crowds, everything remains peaceful.

 “As in previous years, the police are actively ensuring order and security in Uman during the Rosh Hashanah celebration,” Zoya Vovk, the police department speaker, said. “Sixteen Israeli police officers arrived to assist with communication and prevention, conveying important information to the pilgrims. In addition to the police, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, medical services, and other necessary bodies are working to ensure a safe holiday. So far, there have been no significant violations, and the situation is stable and under control.” 

But what does the holiday involve? Yousef explains that the New Year should be celebrated with as much joy as possible to ensure sweetness for the year ahead. That’s why they dance, sing, shout, and eat a lot of sweets.

“We want only good things in the coming year, so we keep everything sweet - eating sweets, dancing, and enjoying ourselves to make the year sweet for everyone! It’s very special to be here. We feel the love, we see the light, it’s good to connect,” Yousef said.

Shaul, a newly converted Ukrainian Hasidim, says that for him, as for many others, this is a time to reflect and morally plan for the next year, striving to live more righteously.

“If you don’t do better tomorrow, why do you need it tomorrow? Rosh Hashanah for me is a holiday, a day of judgment, when I can plan my life for the coming year to become closer to the Creator. That’s why this holiday is in my heart,” he said.

Many Hasidim save money all year to come here. Due to the influx of pilgrims, which increases Uman’s population by 50%, the cost of taxis and accommodation can soar, sometimes up to 20 times and the huge numbers mean there is never enough accommodation.

“I’ve been coming here for four years, and this year it feels more crowded, hotels and rooms are packed. According to statistics, more than 30,000 pilgrims have arrived,” Shaul said.

Despite the festive atmosphere, everyone here remembers the war so the organized events begin on Oct. 2, with a prayer for Ukraine and a call from everyone for peace and victory.

“There’s already been a war in Israel, and now here in Ukraine too. God loves Ukraine and Israel,” another pilgrim from Israel, Peresh, said.