Ukraine and Israel discussed the organization of a Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman

Viktor Yelensky, head of Ukraine’s State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (GESS), held talks with Yair Levin, Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Minister of Religious Affairs. The main topic of discussion was preparations for the annual Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman to the grave of Tzadik Nachman amid ongoing full-scale Russian aggression.

According to the GESS website ( ), the Israeli side expressed gratitude to Ukraine for its efforts to ensure the most favorable conditions possible for the faithful, despite the difficult security situation and constant shelling of the country’s territory. Viktor Yelensky emphasized that ensuring freedom of conscience remains a priority for Ukraine, and that creating conditions for pilgrimages to holy sites is an integral part of international standards in the field of religious freedom.

In addition to issues related to the pilgrimage to Uman, the parties discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation between relevant agencies. In particular, they discussed opportunities to expand religious tourism to the burial sites of prominent spiritual leaders in Ukraine, as well as the organization of pilgrimage trips for Ukrainian Christians to the Holy Land. Following the meeting, representatives from Ukraine and Israel reaffirmed their readiness to deepen their professional partnership.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that the traditional annual religious procession, which was scheduled to begin on August 19 from the Holy Trinity Brailivsky Convent to the Dormition Pochaiv Lavra, will not take place this year. The decision to cancel the event was made due to the state of martial law and a corresponding order from the Vinnytsia Regional Administration.