Prefer Jewish News on Google
Ukraine deports two Israelis for knocking down social distancing barriers
Two individuals were seen breaking down barriers set up at a structure that also houses the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman in Uman
Ukrainian authorities said they would deport two Orthodox Jews who were filmed rioting in the city of Uman, where they were staying as part of the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage there.
The men were seen breaking down barriers set up at a structure that also houses the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman, the 18th century luminary who began the Breslov Chassidic movement. Each year ahead of the Jewish New Year, about 30,000 Jews, many of the Breslovers from Israel, gather in Uman to be near the gravesite.
This year, only about 1,500 pilgrims are there due to Ukraine’s border shutdown in connection with the coronavirus. The barriers at the gravesite building were put up to ensure social distancing among the pilgrims.
One of the deportees, a 35-year-old Israeli, must leave Uman on Sept. 25, but will be allowed to spend Rosh Hashanah there, the National Immigration Service of Ukraine wrote in a statement Wednesday. He will not be allowed back for the next three years. The statement did not include any information on the second deportee.
“If such hooliganism continues by other foreign citizens, they, too, will be deported,” Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook.
Rabbis in Israel and Ukraine, as well as those governments, have urged Jews to avoid coming to Ukraine for the pilgrimage this year due to the pandemic.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
