Jewish pilgrims gather in Ukraine despite the perils of war
Thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims have flocked to central Ukraine to mark the Jewish new year, ignoring international travel warnings
UMAN, Ukraine (AP) — Thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims flocked to central Ukraine to mark the Jewish new year Sunday, ignoring international travel warnings as Russia struck more targets from the air and mobilized its citizens to stem losses in the war that has entered its eighth month.
The pilgrims, many traveling from Israel and further afield, converged on the small city of Uman, the burial site of Nachman of Breslov, a respected Hasidic rabbi who died in 1810.
The streets of one of Uman's central neighborhoods were packed with men of all ages wearing traditional black coats and long side curls. Some chanted prayers. Others screamed, shouted and danced. Advertisements and directional signs in Hebrew blanked the area.
Some visitors, like Nahum Markowitz from Israel, have been making the journey for years and weren't about to let the war get in the way this year.
