Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Azman has called on Jewish pilgrims to refrain from traveling to Uman in the country's east this year due to fear of attacks by the Russian military.
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"It's a real war... my message to people is to please try to not come this year," he told i24NEWS from Basel, Switzerland, where he is attending a conference to mark the 125th anniversary of the historic First Zionist Congress.
Azman stressed that Ukraine does not have the resources to protest the Jewish worshippers amid fighting on the frontlines against the Russian invasion. He also warned of possible Russian provocations, such as timing missile attacks to hit pilgrims.
Ukrainian authorities reiterated the same message, warning Jewish travelers not to arrive in Uman this year, saying there was a "high probability of missile attacks" and other "destabilizing" actions by Russia.
"Don't come this year. It's dangerous. It's a war," Azman warned.
Tens of thousands of Jewish pilgrims travel to Uman, the burial site of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, every year ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Despite the warnings, hundreds have scheduled flights to Ukraine to attend the holiday that begins on Sept. 25.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
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