Jewish New Year: Virus restrictions thwart pilgrims on Ukraine-Belarus border

Hundreds of Hasidic Jews have been stranded at the border between Ukraine and Belarus as coronavirus restrictions impede an annual pilgrimage.

The pilgrims were travelling to the central Ukrainian town of Uman to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nahman, the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement.

Every year thousands make the journey to mark Jewish New Year, which runs from 18-20 September in 2020.

As pilgrims attempted to enter Ukraine this week, border guards stopped them.

The pilgrims set off even though last month the Ukrainian and Israeli governments called on them not to travel to Uman this year, fearing a spike in coronavirus infections.

Ukraine has restricted entry to foreigners from 28 August to 28 September to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Despite this, Ukrainian authorities said hundreds more pilgrims were expected to arrive at the country’s borders in the coming days.

On Tuesday, estimates varied as to how many were already at Ukraine’s borders.

Pictures from the border show dozens of Jews wearing traditional dress and carrying luggage as they wandered along a road thronged by lorries.

On Monday night Ukrainian guards said they had to stop traffic on the crossing at Novi Yarylovychi, because the pilgrims were in the way.

Some pilgrims had set up makeshift tents, while others slept on their luggage in front of the lorries.

“I spent the night on the bus, but most of them spent the night right on the road, some gathered branches in the forest and lit fires,” one pilgrim told Reuters news agency. “We have no food or water.”

The Belarus Red Cross Society said the pilgrims did not have “enough resources to ensure their basic needs” and assistance was being provided.

Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko has told officials to provide assistance to the pilgrims, accusing Ukraine of “shutting its borders” and leaving hundreds of people in neutral territory.

Ukraine’s government has insisted it will not waive the travel restrictions.

“I don’t know who promised to whom the passage of 3,000 citizens,” the head of Ukraine’s border service Serhiy Deyneko told pilgrims at the border. “You were deceived.”

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the situation with Mr Deyneko, his office said. Ukraine had full control of the situation, it added.

In the meantime, many pilgrims remain camped out at the border, in the hope Ukrainian authorities will allow them to enter the country before Jewish New Year, Belta reported.