Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrived in Moldova Monday in preparation for the arrival of a record number of pilgrims to Ukraine's Uman ahead of Rosh Hashanah.
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Cohen's was the first visit by an Israeli foreign minister to Moldova, which became the main entry point for travelers to Uman since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, in over a decade. The site is the burial place of the revered Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
Video: The siren is heard in Uman, Ukraine.
The foreign minister met with his Moldovan counterpart Nicu Popescu as well as the President of Moldova Maia Sandu, with whom he discussed, among other things, preparations ahead of the arrival of the pilgrims and ensuring a quick and smooth passage into Ukraine.
Cohen was accompanied by Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Heritage Minister Meir Porush and MK Eliyahu Revivo (Likud), who are leading the preparations for the Uman festivities in the government and the Knesset.
As many as 71 direct flights are expected to fly from Israel to Moldova, with tens of thousands to cross the border into Ukraine over a period of three days.
The Israeli officials also met with representatives of the Jewish community of Moldova. Porush and the representatives toured the local airport to examine the possibility of increasing capacity and manpower.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials discouraged traveling to Uman due to the ongoing fighting.
"Our recommendation is to avoid arriving on Rosh Hashanah, considering the war, the regular bombings, and the possibility of provocations from Russia," Ihor Taburets, governor of the Cherkasy region, where Uman is located, said.
According to Taburets, the authorities understood, however, that worshippers would arrive in Uman in any case and were preparing ahead of time.
A political source said that "so far there is no limit to the number of" pilgrims allowed to travel to Uman this year.
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