Breslov Chasidim might lose control over the area surrounding the Kever of Rav Nachman M’Breslov in Uman, Ukraine, over a debt to a local businessman and MP – reports Haaretz.
About four years ago, the Breslov World Center began making plans to expand the Shul near the Kever, through the offices of MP Petro Kuzmenko, a local businessman and senior politician who also owns a large construction company.
A serious dispute developed between the sides, in the course of which Kuzmenko sued the center and succeeded in getting a lien issued for the Shul and the Kever. The Shul is to be sold to cover the center’s debt to Kuzmenko.
“If it will help, we will appeal to the international human rights court, on the grounds of harming freedom of worship,” said Gilad Corinaldi, an Israeli lawyer who is in Ukraine on behalf of his Breslov clients.
“It would be a huge catastrophe if the Kever turned into something commercial,” Daniel Dayan, a leader of the Breslov World Center.
About 150,000 people visit the Kever every year, with 30,000 coming for Rosh Hashanah.
(Haaretz / YW-1412)
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11 Responses
Just pay the debt and all will be good!
How much is the debt?
MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO PAY THE DEBT FOR THEM?
IT IS A HUGE SUM OF MONEY.
NOT SO SIMPLE.
This is the way I heard the story from people who should know the facts:
The original debt was $100,000 for default of contract. Kuzmenko was hired to work on the main shul (AKA the “Kloyz”) and then was fired. He demanded full payment anyway, the Vaad refused, he took the case to court and won. The Ukrainian court awarded him properties owned by the Vaad in reality worth more than one million dollars (although compared to similar lots of land in Uman probably approx. the contested amount).
Kuzmenko was offered fortunes of money to sell them back but refused, always demanding a higher price. Now in addition to the high-rise former Shaarei Tzion hotel and another tall building that used to be called Kiryas Breslev, he also wants the Tzion. B’kitzur — it is a big problem. Hashem yazor!
mah karah? kamah hakol oleh?
Surely one doesn’t head into something that big without making sure they have the wherewithall to pay up?! Maybe all the Breslovers can go round the world collecting money for that rather than for their tickets to go there this Rosh Hashono.
This is undercovered in the English websites, you need to see the Hebrew websites such as Walla, B’chadrei chareidim, perhaps even [ugh!] the Hebrew Ha’aretz. The claim is some $3 million, but a major part, some $2.5 million, is a fine for breaking a contract, which is under dispute. It seems tho, that the Breslovers have lost in all the Ukranian courts.
The solution, of course, is to bring Rebbe Nachman’s bones to Eretz Yisrael!
reb nachman zt”l will take care of hit followers as he did till now
I hope that R’ Nachman’s followers realize that it is HKB”H who is taking care of them. To say it the other way has a schmeck of avoda zara.
Here is an update from Rav Lazer Brody shlita on the real story:
The Uman Crisis
Nothing is new under the sun. The Arabs want Jerusalem and the Ukrainians want Uman. They don’t even want our beloved Rebbe Nachman to rest in peace. Rabbi Nosson Maimon just contacted me and asked me to post the following urgent appeal to anyone that is in a position to help: Here are the real facts of the Uman crisis:
Emergency Appeal for USA Political & Diplomatic Intervention
For nearly 2 centuries, thousands of Jews from the USA, Israel and all corners of the globe, have made incredible physical and financial sacrifices to visit and pray at the burial site of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, located in the city of Uman, Ukraine. Since the fall of Communism and the Ukraine’s move towards democracy, this site has experienced an exponential increase in visitors. Last year, over 75,000 Jews visited Uman, making it the site of the largest Jewish Pilgrimage anywhere in the world outside of Israel. How painfully ironic it is, that now, after all of the positive steps the Ukraine has taken toward increased Westernization (and the tremendous surge in the popularity of Rabbi Nachman Z”L and his teachings), there looms a sinister plot that threatens to eradicate this holy Jewish historical site which provides a touchstone for Jews the world over, and a clear economic boon to the local economy of Uman and the entire Cherkasse region of the Ukraine.
Despite a three-year legal battle in the Ukrainian courts, a local politician with overt ties to the Mafia is poised to destroy this economically viable historical and religious attraction, causing untold pain for Jews around the world and a terrible public image fiasco for the entire Ukrainian people. We continue to fight, but are seriously concerned that without direct US political/diplomatic intervention, justice will not prevail. How did this situation come about?
In 1997, Breslov World Center, Inc., a US registered 501c3 Charitable Organization (BWC) was the entity responsible for the logistics of accommodating the expected pilgrimage of approximately ten thousand people who were coming to Uman to pray on Rosh Hashanah . Breslov World Center (known in the Ukraine as “The International Charity Foundation in the Name of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, or just “The Fund”) took upon themselves the daunting task of erecting a permanent multi-use building that would serve as a synagogue, dining hall and emergency medical center for the pilgrims and local population. The project proceeded slowly despite various governmental and zoning obstacles until 2002. In order to move the project along, it was decided to enlist the help of local sources in order to bring the project to completion.
In October of 2002, on the basis of his supposed familiarity with local authorities, regulations, builders and building codes, the services of one Igor Livshitz – a citizen of both the Ukraine and Israel – were retained. At the time that Livshitz entered the scene, the synagogue and mikveh (ritual baths) were already housed in a three-story “temporary” structure, serving over five thousand people. In order to obtain rapid approval of the architectural plans and required permits from the local government, Livshitz demanded that he be given a comprehensive power of attorney to act on The Fund’s behalf in handling the many tasks involved. On April, 4, 2003 this power of attorney was signed and given to Livshitz and he ostensibly went to work for us.
In hindsight, giving a Power of Attorney to Livshitz was a tragic mistake, the consequences of which continue to plague us for close to three years. Evidence of how Mr. Livshitz betrayed this mistakenly bestowed trust is apparent from the following criminal acts: At Igor Livshitz’s insistence, on the same date as he received his power of attorney, The Fund was pressured to also give a power of attorney to Stanislav Petrovich Mazarak who is the general manager of the Chance Construction Company to speed the process of obtaining important local governmental permits. Unknown to us at the time, Chance Construction Company was really owned by Ukrainian Parliament member Peter Kuzmenko. Using the POA, these 2 individuals signed a construction contract with Chance [Kuzmenko] for all construction work pertaining to the building of the synagogue. This clear conflict of interest becomes more glaring when you consider the following: The Fund was not notified that any contracts had been signed until a full ten months after the fact.
In addition the absurdity of the contract itself is evidenced by four glaring points:
50% penalty for breach of contract (i.e. $2,500,000)
No plans were drawn for the construction and none submitted to us for approval.
Asking $5,000,000 for a job without drawn plans, and that according to experts, should cost no more than half that amount
Levying extravagant fines for delay of payment, in the sum of 0.9% per day (i.e. $135,000 per month).
Despite having been promised by Chance [Kuzmenko] to receive completed architectural plans within 8 weeks, it was only after a further 8 months that The Fund received 50% of the plans. In June 2004, The Fund received notification from the City of Uman that the necessary building permits had been issued. Shortly afterwards The Fund received “a bill” for $500,000 from the Chance Construction Company, as a first payment towards our “contract”. When we asked to see this ‘contract’, we were sent a copy of a document titled “Contract 7”. This contract was signed by Messrs. Livshitz and Mazarak, dated September 2003! Ten months after the contract was signed, we were first made aware of its existence! Clearly, Mr. Livshitz used the Power of Attorney against the interests of its grantor for the purpose of his own financial gains and to wrest control of the site from The Fund and put it in the hands of Mr. Kuzmenco who never intended to build it in the first place!!! Not coincidentally, Kuzmenco has used his governmental standing as a member of Parliament to further his financial interests as the actual owner of Chance. Both he and Mr, Livshitz are acting like the local “Mafia” and are ceaselessly trying to “shake us down”. Now, the Fund is being sued by Chance Construction Company [Kuzmenko] for the amount of $2,500,000 plus additional fines.
Despite several attempts to settle this absurd matter over a table and many appeals via Ukraine legal channels, we have been unable to resolve this issue. As a result, we’ve been forced to spend enormous sums of money litigating with Mr. Kuzmenko in various courts to forestall foreclosure and seizure of the property by Mr. Kuzmenko. Through his broad political influence in the Cherkasse region Mr. Kuzmenko has actually appointed many of the judges, and they are beholden to him. We have depleted our funds on legal fees and there is no end in sight!!
Could you imagine any modern, civilized country using its legal apparatus to foreclose on and seize an internationally-recognized historical and holy site? This flagrant disregard for the sanctity of so revered and recognized a holy site is unheard of in today’s enlightened age. We appeal to all rational and compassionate people not to let this gross injustice come to pass. We believe that strong US political pressure, in the form of letters and phone calls to the Ukrainian government from Senators, Congressman and other senior officials in the US administration would go a long way towards helping us. It would make the Ukrainian Government aware of this potentially horrific embarrassment to the Ukrainian people and to the abuse of power by one of its parliamentary members. We implore you to use whatever means you have at your disposal to help us right this terrible wrong.
Please contact Rabbi Nasan Maimon at: [email protected], or phone +972-54-4862935. This is your chance to do something for Rebbe Nachman; the Rebbe will certainly intercede upstairs in your behalf.
rabeinu will intercede on our behalf from hashem