Israeli Transport Minister promises Hasidim a free route to Uman
Israel is preparing routes through Moldova, Romania, and Poland to avoid last year’s crisis with the pilgrimage to Uman.
On August 29, 2025, Israel’s Minister of Transport Miri Regev announced measures to organize an unhindered journey to Uman for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year, September 22–24), reports News of Israel.
The preparations are being coordinated by the Israeli government: with Ukrainian airspace closed, pilgrims are to be routed through Moldova, Romania, and Poland. Israel’s Ministry of Transport is arranging special boarding slots for flights and negotiating transit passage through neighboring countries.
It is recalled that in 2024 the pilgrimage turned into a crisis: Moldova effectively blocked transit to Uman, and many Israelis were stranded in Romania’s Bacău Airport. Hasidim complained of rough treatment by police, poor conditions, and hours of waiting. The situation was further complicated by mass flight cancellations after the EU advised against flights over Israeli and Lebanese airspace.
This year, Israeli authorities insist on unhindered flights and expect that the opening of Israel’s embassy in Moldova will help secure smooth border crossings with local authorities. However, it remains uncertain whether diplomats will be able to prevent a repeat of last year’s crisis for tens of thousands of pilgrims.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman would turn into a raid on draft dodgers.
