JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s coronavirus “czar” (project manager) Prof. Ronny Gamzu issued an unequivocal statement Saturday night, stating that “There will be no flights to Uman. Period.”
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However Gamzu is well aware of the determination of the Breslav chasidim as well as thousands of others who join the annual pilgrimage to Uman. The Chareidi MKs have asked to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu in an attempt to find an acceptable framework which could allow for at least a certain number of people to fly to Uman. So far the prime minister has yet to meet them, as he is deeply involved in the budgetary crisis which threatens to topple Israel’s government tomorrow, but the chasidim do not intend to give up easily.
Neither apparently does Professor Gamzu. He did not just warn in the Israeli cabinet about the possibility of mass infection from the Uman gathering but also went to the extraordinary step of contacting the Ukrainian president and warning him that a huge gathering in Uman will exacerbate the already high rates of coronavirus in the country and that they should therefore close the town to visitors.
הצילום הזה הוא מכתב ששלח פרופ' גמזו לנשיא אוקראינה בסופ"ש האחרון ובו הוא מביע דאגה שהחרדים שיגיעו לאומן ידביקו את המקומיים. לא זכור לי מתי פקיד ישראלי לכלך ככה על האוכלוסייה החרדית בפני אישיות זרה בעולם. רק על זה הפוליטיקאים החרדים צריכים להגיד לו ביי ביי pic.twitter.com/CsgJs3bMhE
— יקי אדמקר (@YakiAdamker) August 22, 2020
A copy of Prof. Gamzu’s letter to the Ukrainian president
In a Channel 12 interview Gamzu explained his reasoning, stating that “Uman is not the festivals in Tishrei and is not holy. Its a folklore or party and doesn’t need to take place. It could bring us closer to total lockdown. The government must be determined to attain the public’s trust and tell the chasidim- no travel at this point to Uman. It endangers lives in Israel.”
Chareidi politicians and journalists sharply attacked Gamzu for his implication that Chareidim could infect other populations while at the same time Israelis are allowed to travel to many other countries without Gamzu complaining that they will infect others.
One journalist wrote that “The coronavirus project manager who was the hope of Israel’s citizens turns out to be an inveterate anti-Chareidi agitator.”
Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush said that “even if Gamzu has professional knowledge, he hasn’t got the minimum basic knowledge of religious life and of the beliefs of thousands who truly believe in the Rosh Hashana gathering at Uman. We as the religious public cannot accept that people detached from our way of life should rule over us. This is a disgrace to the government system.”
A senior health ministry official admitted Sunday that some 2000 chasidim had already arrived in Uman prior to the traditional Rosh Hashana gathering.
Maybe they should ask all the wives and children of these people who go every year if THEY feel it’s important to go and leave their families behind for the Holiest days of the year.
People are so selfish
Dov Ber,
I have never gone, but if a family has a relatively normal dynamic, the wife and kids are on board.
Tens of thousands that go are not inconsiderate. You may find a few that are not happy, but you are maligning a huge well-meaning crowd with your assumptions.
Can’t they procure drugs and prostitutes in Israel? Seems rather far to fly just for that.
Same inane comments every year about the supposed abandoned wives and children. As if 50,000 men haven’t considered that. When you go on a business trip is that called abandoning your family? Obviously not, as you are going for your family’s sake. Kal Vachomer for families who believe their upcoming year is determined by the davening on Yamim Noraim- the best investment they can make for their family is to send their husbands to Uman. You may not value Uman, that’s your choice, but to project your opinion on tens of thousands of families who have a different value system is simply dumb and not very well thought through.
They believe their tefiilos on this rosh hashana can turn around this deadly virus. I agree I think breslov is the emesa Chassidim and I’m a litvisha guy
Do these people realize that the government is trying to preserve lives?
I thought, in Judaism, saving a life is more important than most Commandments in Torah.
The people who go there might not get sick, but they could bring the COVID 19 back home. Put them in quarantine when they get back.
SELFISH BRESLOV CHASIDIM
WAS IT EASY FOR ANYONE TO STAY HOME
FOR MONTHS
NO MINYANS
NO YESHIVAS
WE ALL SACRIFICED FOR THE LARGER GOOD
PIKIACH NEFESH IS DOCHE SHABBOS
AND SURELY UMAN
THIS IS CULT THINKING
SHAME ON THESE CULT PEOPLE
Ok. I stand corrected. You are all right. Thanks for explaining it to me.
On the other hand, it’s not the end of the world to bring the Coronavirus to the Ukrainians ym”s. After what they did to the Jews during and after WW2, this is nothing. It’s payback time.
Meir Porush is an idiot for saying what he says. We know that the Torah say we must shomer nafshecha ma’od, watch carefully your health.
Going to a crowded Uman is not the best idea for those who really keep the Torah.
Even this year a 770, there are rules who may come and who may not.