Yahoo TV

Despite the threat of war, thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish pilgrims descended on Uman, Ukraine, on Friday, September 15, to mark the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, at the birthplace of Rabbi Nachman, one of the founders of the Hasidic movement.

By Friday morning, about 22,000 pilgrims had arrived in the city, many of them traveling from other European countries, Israel, and the United States, according to Ihor Taburets, head of the Cherkasy regional administration.

Taburets said around 33,000 people had registered as attendees, according to public broadcaster Suspilne.

Local police said a meeting was held with Hasidic rabbis to discuss security measures, such as checkpoints, and Taburets said Israeli police officers were patrolling alongside Ukrainian police in the city.

At noon on Friday, thousands of pilgrims prayed together in the streets, calling for peace in Ukraine and urging President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, to travel to Uman and join them in prayer, Suspilne reported. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via Storyful