Cult leader rabbi Berland asks permission to leave country to make Uman pilgrimage

Convicted sex offender Rabbi Eliezer Berland, head of the controversial Shuvu Bonim sect, who is on parole has asked for permission to fly to Uman in Ukraine on a pilgrimage.

Berland was granted early release from prison in December after serving a tumultuous month and a half behind bars on a fraud conviction for swindling sick and elderly followers out of millions of shekels.

While serving time, Berland was arrested and then released from remand in connection with two cold case murders from the 1980s and 90s, which two members of his sect were subsequently charged for.

He is now asking to travel abroad for a period of two weeks to join the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Uman.

Every year, tens of thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims come to Uman from all around the world to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman for Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year, celebrated this year between September 25 and 27.

His request comes despite the fact that Ukraine has repeatedly told pilgims not to come this year due to the Russian invasion.