Kiev, Ukraine – Breslover Chasidim worldwide are up in arms after a recent announcement that the Ukranian Parliament is considering charging admission to the kever of Rebbe Nachman in Uman.
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According to reports on Israeli news site Ynet.com, the proposed entrance fee to the site would be approximately $100 per day. Admission to the site would be controlled by a magnetic card, with all fees collected used to maintain and secure the site. For the thousands of chasidim who make the annual trek to Uman for Rosh Hashana, the additional cost for the typical five day visit could prove to be prohibitive.
Breslover Chasidim are preparing to fight the proposed fee, which was tabled by Parliament last week. One Breslover who lives in Uman told Ynet that it was Breslover rabbanim and askanim who suggested the entrance fee to Parliament, in the hopes that they themselves would win the needed approvals to run the site and potentially turn a hefty profit.
“No one in Israel would try to charge an entrance fee to the kever of Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meiron,” said the Uman resident. “Here, too, there should be freedom of religion and freedom to worship. Unfortunately, some of our good friends are taking part in this effort and are hoping to take over for all of Breslov.”
The Uman resident also alleged that the Ukranian government has never spent any money to improve the site of Rebbe Nachman’s kever in Uman or done anything to benefit the thousands of pilgrims who flock to the site annually.
“It’s not enough that they make substantial profits from the Chasidim who come every year, now they want to add on additional taxes.”
One of the Breslovers named as an instigator of the plan told Ynet that he had just heard of the proposed entrance fee in the last day, and that despite rumors to the contrary, he is not in favor of the plan.
Shimon Buskila head of the World Breslov Center in Uman pledged to do everything in his power to ensure that the proposed fee does not receive parliamentary approval.
“The proposal is a violation of fundamental values of human freedom and liberty,” said Buskila.
let them pray outside, a friend of mine was once in keristra and the goy wanted $15 a head to open up, my friend said $5 the goy said no they davened outside an left – the goy started crying he didnt know that they can pray outside
It cost the city much money to host events like this. Security, garbage collection, etc.. and why shouldn’t they pay something? Better yet, they should stay home with their families on Yom Tov.
All those vendors selling stuff that is not being taxed by the local gov’t.
They expect everything to be free.
Just increase the hotel and travel fee. Leave the business of visiting the dead to the next of kin.
$100/day seems very reasonable and probably does not come close to cover actual costs. I believe it should be made more restrictive so I don’t have to hear the whining of the women on the block who “miss” their dedicated husbands. May I urge you to forward my recommendation to the proper authority to make it $1,000/day. This will also serve to cut down on the poorer phonies.
Cult.
My personal opinion as a frequent visitor to Eastern Europe is that, any mention of charging admission fees is a disgrace-simply because the amount of revenue the visitors to Uman generate to the local economy and government coffers is far more than what the visitors receive in return. To even mention security dues is just a joke, because each and every year those stupid enogh to bring money or valubales to The Ukraine run the risk of the yearly thefts that sweep through the area during Rosh Hashono, and to mention garbage collection, well I suggest you visit the city and then comment. Whilst on this topic there are people who visit Kevorim in Poland & ukraine and for some unknown reason part with untold somes of money to the Local responsible for the cemetery, to give a nominal amount or slighty more than that to someone who opens a gate for a visitor is just causing other visitors to pay this unnecesary price.
One last point is that dont forget Ukraine is one of the remaining countries who have yet to hand back the thousands of jewish owned homes spreading across dozens of cities-so “who owes who here”and if they really dont want us let the Breslovers take R’ nachman to E.Y.
This is clearly an attempt to reduce the amount of visitors
The local government is fed up with the total mess during the high holidays and in some cases year round visitors
organizers should have done a better job in maintaining order and work closer with local authorities
Some of the visitors are unruly and an embarrassment
so over all it will be expensive to travel to Uman which will reduce the over all number of visitors, in exchange the money generated by this fee will enable the local authorities to provide better security and sanitation. If this will not reduce the number of visitors they will most likely will up the cover charge even higher
STAY HOME!
I was in Uman 4 years ago, the גוים asked me for money all the time. If a גוי spoke to me in Yiddish I gave him no more than $20
Then Don’t go!!
Let them charge the goiym who come in busloads every day to Reb Nachman all year long
Tell these Breslover to dig up the bones of rav nachman and bring them home to EY and in his z’chus, give all the tens of millions of dollars wasted in flying to Uman and subsidizing the most anti-semitic country in the world and donate those funds to feeding yasomim, maintaining the kevoirm of other tzadidkim in EY which are in disrepair, etc.
Bring nachman home…Bring nachman home….Bring nachman home…na na nachman
The money supports the city all year. Do you know what the wages are in Ulman? Less than$200 a month. So what nonsense of paying $100 a day
So everyone should do the right thing and
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STAY HOME!!!
What do you think the Breslever Rav would advise you to do? If he could have imagined the beauty of coming to daven in E”Y – in a Jewish country with a Jewish government and Jewish children walking the streets proudly – what do you think he would have advised?
I am sure if Uman was the spring break destination there wouldn’t be any talk about an admission fee. I understand that the local government has to deal the after effects of the pilgrimage but I think it has to do with the type of function. Btw I am not screaming anti-semitism for all those that think I am leading in that direction.