Israeli officers have arrived in Uman, Ukraine ahead of Rosh Hashanah, as the city is home to the burial site of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, one of the most revered figures in Jewish mysticism. Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, dozens of thousand pilgrims are traveling to the city for the 2026 holiday, prompting a joint security operation between Israeli law enforcement and Ukrainian authorities.
For universal pilgrims, spending Rosh Hashanah at the Kever (tomb) is seen as the ultimate opportunity for prayer, repentance, and starting the new year with a completely clean slate. Uman holds a unique and powerful place for the universal Jewish community—specifically the Breslov Hasidic movement.
Rabbi Nachman (1772–1810), a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Hasidic Judaism), spent his final months in Uman. He chose to be buried there to honor the victims of the 1768 Koliivshchyna rebellion massacres, promising to bring spiritual rectification to their souls. He explicitly told his followers that they must spend the Jewish New Year with him. He made a famous spiritual promise: anyone who comes to his grave, recites the Tikkun HaKlali (a specific selection of ten Psalms), and gives a coin to charity will be saved from spiritual distress, no matter how great their past transgressions.
Because Ukrainian airspace is closed due to the war, tens of thousands of pilgrims face long overland journeys through neighboring countries like Romania and Poland. The Israel Police dispatched a dedicated delegation to Uman and surrounding transit hubs to assist with crowd control, language translation, safety protocols, and coordination with Ukrainian forces.
