The annual pilgrimage undertaken by Jews around the world, particularly Breslovers, to the city of Uman in central Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah has been canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to the city’s mayor, reported Reuters.
Many thousands of followers of the Chassidic Rabbi Nachman of Breslov visit his grave each Jewish New Year.
“The common opinion is that the arrival of tens of thousands of Chassidic pilgrims to Uman to conduct the celebration in the traditional format is impossible,” wrote Uman Mayor Oleksander Tsebriy on Facebook.
He said the presence of the virus in Ukraine and Israel, and the inability to implement safety measures as needed, led to the decision to call off the pilgrimage this year.
Rosh Hashanah, the first of the Jewish High Holidays, begins at sundown on Friday, Sept. 18 and lasts through the evening of Sunday, Sept. 20
