U.S. State Department warns Americans against pilgrimage to Uman for Rosh Hashanah

The U.S. State Department has recommended that American citizens refrain from traveling to the Ukrainian city of Uman during the annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman on the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

The corresponding warning was published by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.

Uman, located in the Cherkasy region, is home to the grave of Rabbi Nachman, the founder of Breslov Hasidism. Every year on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel there. Uman is one of the centers of Hasidism and the main pilgrimage site for Breslov Hasidic Jews.

In addition to the general recommendation to refrain from traveling, the U.S. Embassy issued a separate warning to men holding dual citizenship — American and Ukrainian — including those residing in the United States. According to the embassy, they may face restrictions on leaving the country and could be called up for military service.

In August 2025, Ukrainian authorities banned Hasidic Jews from holding the pilgrimage in Uman, citing security concerns.