In a public notice to the press in Ukraine, the Ukrainian government relayed that the mass pilgrimage to the Kever of Reb Nachman of Breslov for Rosh HaShanah this year is canceled due to a worry about Coronavirus infection.
The local government has changed their mind on this issue numerous times, which has been causing the Breslov Chassidim from around the world no end of anguish. The new stringency was publicized after the Ukrainian government received a letter from Israel’s Coronavirus Commissioner, Ronni Gamzu. Gamzu told the government of Ukraine, that it is quite likely that local residents in Uman and the surrounding area would contract COVID-19 from the Chassidim.
Due to the letter, the authorities in Ukraine responded harshly and arrested numerous Chareidi groups who have been making their way to Ukraine in alternative ways.
There were even reports of some violent, anti-semitic acts and comments from the local Ukrainian governments against the Jews who did manage to make it to Uman already.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
4 Responses
Ukrainians will always be Ukrainians!
is this prof.Gamzu the foreign Minister of Israel? He makes antisemitism in the world and the Isreaki gouverment does not intervene.
Yaapchik – “Ukrainians will always be Ukrainians!” – This is correct. And Jews should not bring their hard earning money to antisemitic countries like Ukraine, Poland, etc
West Ukraine is like East Poland in terms of Antisemitism but also the general language, culture, and religion. The Ba’al Shem Tov was born in Poland, and it’s now Ukraine. The same with the Breslaver Rebbe.
Also:
Dear Israeli people, don’t leave the holy land in order to visit a rebbe’s grave in Ukraine.