Breslov chassidim fear that Israel’s Foreign Ministry is working to gain control of the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman. The Government of Israel in the past has shown an interest in bringing the remains of Rav Nachman to Eretz Yisrael, well-aware of the benefits; but this was thwarted in no small part due to the outcry from the international Breslov community.
It now appears that if the kever of the tzaddik cannot come to Eretz Yisrael, Israel may be working to extend its control to Uman. The Foreign Ministry has been negotiating with Ukrainian officials towards such an arrangement. The proposed agreement would place the responsibility for security over the tziyun and visitors in the hands of Israel and in return, Israel will invest a sizable sum to modernize the area and the outdated infrastructure.
The military airport near the tziyun would also be converted into an international airport which would considerably facilitate traveling to the tziyun but many are opposed nevertheless, fearing the holy site would be turned into “another Israeli tourist site” with all that entails. Chassidim fear making this a state-controlled tourism site would detract from the “spiritual atmosphere” at the tziyun.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
I despise the medine with every fiber of my being, but I do appreciate the fact that its agencies can provide decent security for sites outside of EY.
As someone who has to live year-round with the chilul Hashem created by visitors to Uman who could care less about Rabbi Nachman, I do not care who takes control of the kever, so long as locals do not have to put up with the actions of fallen Jews who behave on a level even lower than that of the descendants of Chmelnicki YMS’s hordes. I also know full well that Rabbi Nachman wanted to be laid to rest in Uman, and there he must remain until Moshiach comes.
In the end, we Jews who live in Ukraine year-round bear the brunt of the actions of the hooligans from EY who infest the kever, even though few of us are Breslovers or even visit Uman on Rosh Hashonoh. I am only too happy to let the medine take care of its own flotsam and jetsam and make sure those who should stay at home never return to Ukraine after their first violent or pritzusdige offence at the kever.
The kever should be in EY. Why should the murderers of Jews profit from massive Jewish tourism?
It mustn’t happen. Look what happened to Meron when the medina took over.
We live in peace and prosperity here in Ukraine; Jews are coming back from EY as they find a better life, more opportunities and more respect here. Here they are proud Jews; in EY they are despised Russians.
Ukraine has an unpleasant history; now that it is finally independent, all but the lowest class (parallel to the remaining anti-Semites in the US who are represented by the KKK) have abandoned anti-Semitism.
I actually don’t want the kever here as it brings a very bad element that does provoke anti-Semitism, but the tzaddik wanted to be buried in Uman, and in Uman he must stay.