At the Belarus-Ukraine border, more than 1,000 Orthodox Jews await acceptance into the countries for a religious pilgrimage that has been blocked due to COVID-19 concerns. Ukrainian government footage revealed hundreds of men and boys setting up tents along a highway in Belarus, trying to enter into Ukraine. Ukraine’s borders have been closed off to foreigners since August. The travelers have received food and water, according to the Ukrainian border service. Rows of barricade material have been erected alongside the border, and armed guards have been monitoring for illegal entry.
The Orthodox Jews are attempting to travel to the burial site of the late 18th century Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, who was the great-grandson of the founder of the Hasidic movement. The gravesite is located in Uman, Ukraine, and is the site of a yearly pilgrimage conducted by ultra-Orthodox Jews around the Jewish New Year celebration of Rosh Hashanah.
Read More: More than 1,000 Jewish pilgrims blocked from entering Ukraine over coronavirus fears
