Israeli man dies in Ukraine’s Uman during Rosh Hashanah festivities
Pilgrim, in his 50s, reportedly collapses at entrance to Rabbi Nachman’s tomb; Foreign Ministry working to bring his body to Israel for burial
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An Israeli man died in Uman while visiting the Ukrainian city this weekend for Rosh Hashanah.
There was no immediate word on the cause of death, but the Walla news site reported Sunday that the man collapsed in front of his children during afternoon prayers at the entrance to the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Jewish Hasidic movement.
Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the man, in his 50s, but he was pronounced dead.
The Foreign Ministry said it was coordinating with the ZAKA rescue service and Ukrainian authorities to return the man’s remains to Israel.
Tens of thousands of mainly ultra-Orthodox Jews traveled to Uman for Rosh Hashanah to celebrate the religious holiday in the Ukrainian city that is one of the birthplaces of the Hasidic movement, brushing off warnings from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.
Celebrations took place amid tightened security due to the 19-month Russian war on Ukraine. Kyiv had repeatedly advised pilgrims not to make the trip this year due to the dangers of traveling to a country in the midst of a war and to a city that had been previously targeted by lethal Russian airstrikes.
Uman has been a pilgrimage site for around 200 years. It is the birthplace of Rabbi Nachman.
The Times of Israel Community.