Ukraine – Ukrainian officials announced on Wednesday that a massive security force of over 400 police officers will be dispatched to maintain order and protect Hasidic Jews when they make their upcoming annual religious pilgrimage to Uman.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
INTERFAX (http://bit.ly/151Nsuj) reports that the announcement was made by Ukrainian Deputy Minister Viktor Ratushniak at a joint meeting which included the Israeli Ambassador to the Ukraine, Reuven Dinel, and Security Attache at the Israeli Embassy in the Ukraine, Roi Alkorat.
Both sides stressed that cooperation between Ukrainian and Israeli police officers will continue to play a major role in maintaining order during the event which runs from September 4-6.
About 75 police per person. Last year they also had 400 officers in Uman so I’m not sure about this hoopla.
Regarding the Israeli police, this is something that really needs to be updated. Israel sends between six and eight policemen. They are all unarmed and not all speak Russian. I’m not sure what they do all day but playing a major role as this article states is a great big fabrication.
Are these cops there to protect against the Chasidim or to protect them.
Umm..how can so many chassidim in Israel (presumably living below the poverty line) afford to take this trip?
How much money is pumped into the Ukrainian economy by this yearly mishagaas? How much more yiddisher gelt does that blood soaked land get from children of the few who survived their blood lust?
I have been to Uman and the 20,000 plus Jews are very orderly. It is a big Kiddush Hashem. The problem is with some of the Ukrainians who have beaten up stray Jews who happen to wander from the main group. This is why the police are needed to protect the Jews from the Ukrainians. The philosophy of the Breslov Chasidim is not to get involved in politics. The leaders of Breslov are very peaceful people who teach their followers to remain peaceful. They do not believe in hurting Haradi soldiers. In fact some of the Breslov Chasidim go to the army and they are not condemned for it. You can’t lump all Charadim together. There are many different philosophies amongst the Charadim. The leaders of Breslov believe in staying out of trouble and remaining peaceful. Rebbe Nachman emphasized to love all Jews even a complete rasha (wicked person). This teaching of Rebbe Nachman is reflected in the attitude of the leaders of Breslov. Like in any group, some of the followers might not heed the teachings of their leaders and may act against the teachings of their leaders.
#2 : A little of both. Many of the Chareidim who visit are Baalei Teshuva and looking for action. Former thugs who crave fighting.
#3: They cannot afford to take this trip to Uman. They collect money in order to go.
#4: You are correct. The amount of police needed for an event this size would have to be in the thousands. Many of the chassidim provoke the police leading to a lot of chillul hashem.
#5: The answer is over the year approximately Three hundred million dollars goes into the Ukrainian economy due to all Uman related activities. There are also many Jewish owned businesses in Uman who prosper because of this.
#6,7,8: Your comments are misleading and false. There is zero unity amongst the Breslov leaders. There is constant fighting and as much politics in Breslov as Satmar, Chabad and everywhere else. The grave and big shul are in constant political upheavel. There is zero achdus amongst the different groups. They agree on nothing.
The big kiddush hashem comment is laughable. The ukrainians beat up jews and the jews beat up ukrainians. A good portion of the Jews visiting look for action. The locals hate Jews and the Jews further provoke the locals.
Continues:
I would say at the most 10% of people who visit uman for the holiday are there for spiritual reasons. The rest are there to party and get away from their families. The Breslov leadership are in an all out war with each other. Each trying to lay claim on every aspect of Uman in order to further their financial rewards. The airine ticket prices are exorbitant because of the breslov mafia. The mikva is run by a different family mafia. The shul seats by another family and the list goes on and on. Try to sell your spiritual story and politics-free baloney to some new recruits who are still blind to the chaos and disharmony amongst chassidim of breslov.
I’d estimate 50% of the Uman visitors are baalei teshuva who are still seeking an outlet and trying to find a fun chassidus. Most of the fighting happening in Uman is between jews and other jews. That’s the truth and most who will visit uman can testify to this is they are honest.
I have bin to Uman four times. The negativity you are expressing is typical of someone that doesn’t understand the true meaning of Judaism. ( Don’t blame you though i am sure you are an older adult (time to get real) the ball teshuvas you refer to in uman understand better than you do. ( even with there so called needs to party”. “FIGHTING BETWEEN CHASIDIM” i grow up Lubavich people used to try to sell me on “fights:” that were happening between other sects of chasidim and Lubavitch it simply wasn’t true. the people who made those claim were the real instigators. (not the chasidim or the rebbas.) The Rebbas had nothing but emence love for the chasidim and other ppl alike. ( that is the nature of a chasid)
And for a person so concerned about other ppls avayros. you seem to be pretty easy on the Lashon Harah.
Uman is a good place for spiritual growth……PS Please email me to let me know were your statistics come from. i would be interested to know. 🙂 Yosephlevine
gmail.com