JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Yitzchak Elmakies, a British resident in his 50s and the father of seven, was found dead in a forest near Uman, Ukraine, during Shabbat, amid suspicions that he was murdered.
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His body was discovered by chasidic men who had gone into the forest for hitbodedut, a Breslov practice of personal prayer and meditation in secluded areas.
According to initial reports, signs of violence were found on Elmakies’s body, raising suspicions that his death may have been the result of a violent attack. The circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated by local authorities.
Elmakies had been staying in Uman in recent weeks. The city is currently hosting large numbers of Jewish visitors ahead of Rosh Hashanah, with tens of thousands of Breslov Hasidim arriving for the annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Reports from the area have noted the large influx of visitors in recent days.
A report published on a Telegram news channel described the incident as a “shocking murder in Uman” and said the information had been verified with Moti Bukchin, a spokesperson for ZAKA.
At this stage, there is no publicly available information establishing the identity of a suspect, a possible motive, or precisely when and how the injuries were inflicted. It is also not yet clear whether Ukrainian authorities have formally classified the death as a homicide.
The investigation is being handled by local authorities, and further details are expected to emerge as the circumstances of Elmakies’s death are investigated.
I was born in Ukraine, my family lived in what is now Ukraine for centuries, and I don’t understand those that flock to this accursed land, the land void of any kedusha and, to add insult to injury, some of our fools support the local amoleikim with our tourist cash.
Do u really think the ukrainian authorities care about a Jew being murdered?
There isn’t an inch of Ukrainian soil that isn’t drenched in Jewish blood
Boruch Dayan HaEmes.
Reb Yitzchok Elmkies z”l was 44, a talmid chochom, a father of 7 children.
Its so sad that the comments section here has devolved into people spewing their own neirishkeit when one our amcha was murdered.
Whatever the reason it happened, we should be looking to better ourselves, not start poking at others.
Tehi Nishmaso Tzrurah B’tzror HaChaim.
I have no idea about this case .
Certainly; going for HISBODEDUS in Uman ; is not a good idea .
Reb Nachman wanted to be a support for the people in golus. I believe his kever needs to be in Eretz yisroel. Malim Bekodesh. What’s happening is Moridin- instead of going up we’re going down.
Let’s forget Europe. It won’t be here much longer anyway.
Move Reb Nachmon’sbgrave to Eretz Yisroel. The Ukraine is drenched with Yiddishe blood. We don’t belong this. There were 65000 Yidden present, yet they killed one of our own, and nobody heard and nobody saw. It’s a Sakanah to go there.
B’H; This year the Uman crazies purchased their very own Ltivish Rosh Yeshiva.
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I can only hope it wasn’t from one of us. Either way if your parents weren’t breslav and this isn’t your mesora don’t go to Uman. its sadly full of dysfunctional people. I know that 65K people went but still.