Who goes to Uman for Rosh Hashanah? IDI releases new poll as holiday approaches

A recent poll by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), conducted in July and August 2026, reveals that 8% of adult Jewish Israelis have visited the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine. This pilgrimage site attracts tens of thousands of religious Israeli Jews annually for Rosh Hashanah, despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The study found that nearly half of those who have visited return every few years, and 22.5% visit at least once a year. Notably, 13% of Mizrahi Jews have visited Uman, compared to 5% of Ashkenazi Jews. Additionally, an IDF social media channel recently published and then deleted a video advising ultra-Orthodox draft evaders on how to avoid arrest at Ben-Gurion Airport when traveling to Uman.