Officials say some delays, but no major hiccups as Uman pilgrims cross into Ukraine

As tens of thousands of Israelis make the annual pilgrimage to the Ukrainian city of Uman for Rosh Hashanah, there continue to be delays at border crossings into Ukraine, Israeli diplomatic sources tell The Times of Israel.

“There is lots of pressure there,” says a diplomat. That is the only significant hiccup currently, as entry into Uman itself is fairly smooth. Some 16 Israeli police officers crossed from Moldova into Ukraine to assist in Uman, while several more are remaining in Moldova.

Ukraine had threatened to block Israelis from entering, but a phone call between the leaders of both countries seemed to sort out the issue.

The head of Ukraine’s border guards also told Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky earlier this week that Kyiv would do whatever it could to ensure a smooth entry process for Israelis.