Porush organising Uman trip

BY ADAM MOSES

Jerusalem Minister Meir Porush is organising the annual trip by orthodox Israelis to Uman in Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah.

Despite the war in Ukraine, thousands of Jews will travel to Uman for the High Holidays.

Traditionally 30,000 pilgrims, mostly from Israel, honour Rabbi Nachman, founder of the Breslov Chasidic movement, at his resting place during the holiest time of the year.

The decision by the National Security Council to appoint a minister follows issues in recent years with regulating Israeli visitors.

Israel’s Jerusalem minister successfully headed up Lag B’Omer preparations at Meron earlier this year after the stampede tragedy in 2021. NSC requested Porush handle Uman.

Porush and his staff at the Ministry for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage are coordinating with Ukraine authorities to strengthen operations at border crossings in neighbouring countries.

Porush has held meetings with the NSC, Foreign Ministry, Airports Authority, National Security Ministry and Israel Police.

He reportedly said: "I congratulate the governing bodies who understood that many of the followers of Breslov will continue to preserve the tradition and travel to stay at the shrine of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov for Rosh Hashanah, and we must prepare wisely for this."

The Foreign Ministry has notified Israeli Ambassadors in Poland, Moldova, Hungary and Romania to contact local authorities to ensure border crossings to Ukraine are organised leading to Rosh Hashanah.

Porush is appointing a manager to contact Breslov leaders alongside political, security and medical officials.

“I’ll work to coordinate with the Foreign Ministry and the other relevant parties to ensure that those who choose to travel to Uman will receive the service they deserve,” Porush reportedly said.

“The situation on the ground is not simple and it’s important that the public be attentive to the instructions, with a tefilah that we will succeed in preventing danger to human lives.”

Porush thanked National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Director General of the Foreign Ministry Ronen Levi who backed his request to bolster crossings between Ukraine and the neighbouring countries.