Ambassador Korniychuk reported that Israel did not approve all events for pilgrims in Uman.

There are only a few days left until the Rosh Hashanah holiday, and Israel has not taken the initiative to coordinate measures for the annual Jewish pilgrimage to Uman. This was reported by Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, in an interview with The Times of Israel on September 10, 2025.

According to Korniychuk, the Israeli side believes that all organizational issues were resolved through the leaders of Jewish religious communities, who then interacted with Ukrainian authorities. Time is running out, and there is no understanding of the current state of affairs. The ambassador emphasized the need for a significant presence of Israeli police to protect the pilgrims, whose number may reach 40,000 this year.

It is also necessary to organize the arrival of Israeli paramedics, rescuers, and create temporary bomb shelters.

Korniychuk expressed regret that this year there is no communication between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which burdens the organization of the holiday. In the absence of solutions, he warned that “there may be surprises this year,” considering that the war limits public gatherings to more than ten people.

“During the war, we don’t need visitors,” he emphasized.

The tourist fees from pilgrims usually go towards cleaning the city after the holiday; in wartime conditions, this requires Ukraine’s resources, including thousands of rescuers.

“Why is this our problem and not theirs?” the ambassador wonders.

The Situation with the Pilgrimage

According to information, Ukraine is considering the possibility of banning the pilgrimage to Uman for security reasons. However, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein clarified that to date, there are no changes in Ukrainian policy regarding the visit for Rosh Hashanah.

In addition, the head of the Breslov Union in Uman, Rabbi Natan Ben-Nun, also refuted rumors of a ban. He spoke about a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv, where security measures were agreed upon and the necessary permits for the holiday were obtained.