The Prime Minister of Israel asks the Hasids to refrain from traveling to Uman, but allocated money for the pilgrimage

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Hasidim to refrain from the traditional annual pilgrimage to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which runs from September 15 to 17.

He said this at a government meeting, reports The Times of Israel.

Netanyahu called the pilgrimage dangerous given the risks of missile and drone attacks. He said that there are not enough shelters in the city to protect the pilgrims.

"Citizens of Israel who go to Ukraine must bear personal responsibility for their trips. God did not always protect us — neither on European land, nor on Ukrainian land," Netanyahu said.

At the same time, the government allocated 4 million shekels (about $1 million) to help the pilgrims. These funds will go to centers for regulating queues at the border, providing assistance to speed up security checks in agreement with the authorities and security services of Ukraine, as well as emergency headquarters.

• Despite the war, 23,000 Hasids came to Uman last year, so they are expected this year as well. Their safety was not guaranteed at that time due to the constant threat of missile and drone attacks. The special services then reported that some of the Iranian drones that Russia launched in the south of Ukraine were supposed to attack the Hasids in Uman. This was allegedly one of Iranʼs conditions.
• Pilgrims are advised to refrain from visiting Uman this time, but Cherkasy OVA has started preparing for Rosh Hashanah.
• In mid-August, Ukraineʼs ambassador to Israel said that the Ukrainian side could suspend visa-free travel with Israel because of the Hasids.