Hasidic Jews come to Uman from all over the world to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, founder of the Hasidic movement, on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year.
Uman is located in central Ukraine and is relatively far from the front line, but the Ukrainian and Israeli authorities have urged worshipers not to revive the religious celebrations that take place between September 25 and 27 this year.
But despite the warnings, Hasidic Jews in their traditional black attire gathered in the city’s streets to celebrate.
Pilgrims often cite a religious text by Rabbi Nachman, who died in Uman in 1810, promising visitors to his grave during the Jewish New Year that he would “save them from Hell”.
“There were sirens, but since we come from Israel, we are used to it and we know what we are doing. We feel safe,” said Aaron, 48, a doctor from Yad Binyamin, Israel.
Police cordoned off the area around the shrine, checked identity cards, and allowed only residents and Hasidim to pass.
Uman police spokeswoman Zoya Vuvic told AFP that not only alcohol and fireworks were banned during the festivities, but also plastic guns for playing, and a curfew was imposed between 11 pm (20:00 GMT) and 5 am.
Despite the restrictions, the shrine was packed with pilgrims, men and boys, on Sundays.
The police did not disclose the exact number of pilgrims until the end of the celebrations, citing fears of attacks from Russia.
“We understand that there is a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and that the enemy is watching the information,” Vovk told AFP.
The United Jewish Community Organization of Ukraine said that more than 23,000 pilgrims had arrived in Uman.
The city of Uman in central Ukraine has been repeatedly attacked since the start of the war on February 24.
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