More than 16,000 people who had booked flights to Moldova en route to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman received cancellations, prompting calls for assistance from the Israeli government.
Each year, thousands of Israelis travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, but recently many who purchased tickets for flights landing in Moldova were informed that the Moldovan authorities would not allow Breslov pilgrims to use their airport to travel onward to Uman.
Moldova’s official reason is the "lack of official involvement from the Israeli government in the mass pilgrimage." For the past two years, since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, many pilgrims have traveled to Uman via Moldova.
The crisis could lead to "severe and unpleasant scenes" if not resolved, warned Breslov leaders, as thousands of followers see no alternative to reaching Uman for Rosh Hashanah.
Nathan Ben Nun, chairman of the Breslov Union, sent an urgent letter to all religious and ultra-Orthodox Knesset members, pleading for government intervention. "We cannot abandon Breslov followers as if they are citizens of a failed state, unable to rely on their government even for basic matters," he wrote.
The Breslov Union criticized Israel’s inconsistency, saying, "One year, Israel takes responsibility and makes the pilgrimage a government mission, and the next, they disappear and treat it as a private affair. Israel created this crisis, and they need to solve it."
The Breslov Union manages Rabbi Nachman’s tomb in Uman, working year-round to assist the tens of thousands of visitors, with the pilgrimage during Rosh Hashanah as the peak event.
"This issue requires an immediate solution to avoid past difficulties," Ben Nun stressed in the letter. "For Breslov Hasidim, it is non-negotiable to be in Uman for Rosh Hashanah, and we hope for your intervention to ensure order and facilitate the pilgrimage."