Some 20,000 Hasidic pilgrims visit Ukraine’s Uman for Rosh Hashanah despite war

Crowds mark the Jewish new year there annually, this year ignoring repeated travel warnings amid the ongoing war, according to The Times of Israel, Ukrinform reports.

“We are not afraid. If we come to Rabbi Nachman, he will protect us for the whole year,” said Nahum Markowitz from Israel, who has been visiting the site since 1991.

He added that he is already familiar with the risk of war and the wail of sirens that comes from living in Israel.

Israel repeatedly warned citizens against traveling to Uman.

“Completely avoid travel to Ukrainian territory, including the city of Uman and its surroundings,” the foreign ministry said. “The volatile security situation includes the danger of aerial bombardment or missile attacks against civilian towns and territories, including in the west and center of the country.”

The Ukrainian embassy to Israel repeatedly urged those planning a pilgrimage to stay home, warning on Facebook that Russia has repeatedly targeted heavily populated areas and that “attacks cause real danger to your lives!”