Published: 21 August 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
THE UKRAINIAN INTERNAL affairs minister, Arsen Avakov, has announced that the country is limiting entry to foreign nationals to the city of Uman due to the coronavirus pandemic. The statement comes ahead of the annual pilgrimage to the city undertaken by the Bratslav Hasidic sect, undertaken around the Rosh Hashanah holiday.
"We came to the conclusion that the coronavirus infection rate in Ukraine and abroad does not allow for organiSing or holding mass events, especially those attended by foreign nationals," Avakov said.
He noted that 30,000 to 50,000 Hasidic Jews from around the world visit the country every year, mostly to visit the Uman grave of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, who revived the Hasidic movement and died in 1810. A visit like this during the pandemic, he said, will endanger not just pilgrims, but Ukrainian citizens as well. He added that the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches have limited their mass events because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Uman Mayor Oleksandr Tsebriy noted that he prepared to close the streets in the city in order to curb Hasidic Jews from entering. "The government predicted a second wave of the coronavirus in September. This is why we oppose the cHasidim's visit to the city this year."
FULL STORY Ukraine blocks entry of foreigners to Uman ahead of Chasidic pilgrimage, citing coronavirus concerns (Haaretz)
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Cartoon: Eran Wolkowski
