Israelis should refrain from traveling to the city of Uman in Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Thursday in an official warning to the tens of thousands of worshippers who traditionally travel to the site for the Jewish new year.
Tens of thousands of Israelis travel to Uman to pray on Rosh Hashanah at the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, one of the most popular Hassidic masters.
"The explosive security situation includes the danger of bombing from the air or firing rockets at civilian areas, including in the center and west of the country, which pose a real and immediate danger to life," said the Foreign Ministry statement, which urged Israelis in Ukraine to leave the country immediately.
The Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine has been in a state of emergency since the Russian invasion in February. In addition, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement in which it called on Israelis to refrain from traveling to Uman due to the war and the difficulty of guaranteeing the worshippers' security.
The ministry said that the Israeli embassy in Kyiv does not have a continuous presence the country these days due to the ongoing fighting and, therefore, it will be impossible to provide full consular services in the event of an emergency.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, congratulating him on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day and discussing the situation concerning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Lapid called on Israeli citizens not to arrive in Uman on Rosh Hashanah due to the risks.
Ukraine warns Jewish pilgrims against coming to Uman this year
Two weeks ago, Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, warned that Jews who traveled to Uman would be risking their lives.
“Rosh Hashanah is coming, and no matter what we say, Orthodox Jews will try to get to Uman again,” he said in an interview from his Tel Aviv office. “We understand your willingness to go to Uman and favor your support for Ukraine, but this is not the right time. We cannot guarantee your security.”
Last year, more than 30,000 Breslov Hassidim went to Uman – mostly from Israel but also from the US, the UK and France – and a similarly large gathering this year would attract attention from the Russian Army, which could attack the pilgrimage site, Korniychuk said.
The warning on Thursday comes a few days after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) issued an alert recommending that Jews refrain from visiting Ukraine on Rosh Hashanah due to "the high probability of missile attacks and actions of the Russian side aimed at destabilizing international relations and harming the international image of Ukraine."
The SBU stressed that despite efforts by Ukrainian authorities to keep the pilgrimage site safe, Russia could use the arrival and mass gathering of pilgrims to "stage provocations."
"Those who still dare to make the pilgrimage must strictly comply with the requirements of regime measures: curfew, response to air-raid alarms, as well as follow all instructions of law enforcement officials. Only in this way is it possible to minimize the existing risks for believers on this important holiday for the Jewish people."
Increased security restrictions in Uman on Rosh Hashanah
From September 19-30, increased security measures will be implemented in Uman, including a ban on holding any large events, a ban on the sale of alcohol and pyrotechnic products, increased restrictions on the movement of civilians, the blocking of some streets to vehicles and the restriction of access to pilgrimage sites.
The US State Department also recommended that Jews from the US not travel to Ukraine for the holiday. Consular services are not available in Ukraine.