Gov't publishes outline that may allow Israelis to travel to Uman
The outline was drafted by a group of designated ministers appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and headed by MK Ze'ev Elkin.
By TOBIAS SIEGALCELEBRATING ROSH HASHANAH near the tomb of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine, in 2017.(photo credit: VALENTYN OGIRENKO/REUTERS)
Following extended discussions in the past week to find a way to allow Israelis to travel to Uman, Ukraine, as part of an annual pilgrimage, a group of ministers published on Saturday evening an outline that will allow the trip to occur under restricting conditions.The outline, which now needs to be approved by the Ukrainian government, was drafted by a group of ministers appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and headed by MK Ze'ev Elkin.The outline took into consideration discussions held by the Ukrainian government defining their guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, and was drafted in a way that would satisfy all involved parties, including the hassidim and Ukrainian health authorities.Israelis traveling to Uman will be forced to so in small groups, each including only a few dozens of people, according to the outline. The exact number has not been set yet.Additionally, visiting Rabbi Nachman Breslev's grave site will be done in the form of a "moving assembly line" in order to prevent a prolonged stay in a crowded space. Finally, upon return to Israel, travelers will also be divided into groups and will be required to enter quarantine under supervision after returning.While the outline offers suitable solutions for various concerns that were raised by the Ukrainian authorities, it might not be relevant if the Ukrainian government does not change its current policy which prevents any tourist from any country from entering the country.According to N12, the first and most important objective of the outline is to allow for the safe return of the approximately 2,000 hassidim who are currently in Ukraine.
