Thousands of Hasidic Jews from at least 15 countries have gathered in the town of Uman, Ukraine, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year. A record number of pilgrims, estimated at more than 30,000, have come to spend the holiday at the gravesite of the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, Reb Nachman. (Andriy Bashtovyy, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)
Jewish Pilgrims Celebrate New Year In Ukraine
![A Hasidic Jew reads prayers on Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the new year. According to the Jewish calendar, the holiday marks the start of the year 5774.](https://gdb.rferl.org/091ece28-74a9-4bad-b710-4700f5a54d2b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
1
A Hasidic Jew reads prayers on Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the new year. According to the Jewish calendar, the holiday marks the start of the year 5774.
![The holiday lasts from the evening of September 4 until September 6.](https://gdb.rferl.org/270c8e5f-bffd-4c37-b996-ebe873d713fd_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
2
The holiday lasts from the evening of September 4 until September 6.
![A Hasidic Jew celebrates the new year in high spirits.](https://gdb.rferl.org/3bb8a127-1114-45f9-a16b-b18879af1e83_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
3
A Hasidic Jew celebrates the new year in high spirits.
![Some 30,000 pilgrims -- a record number -- are visiting Uman for the holiday.](https://gdb.rferl.org/ebe5839b-0531-4adf-bf15-1447fcdc0c84_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
4
Some 30,000 pilgrims -- a record number -- are visiting Uman for the holiday.
![The tradition of marking the New Year on Reb Nachman's grave was revived after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.](https://gdb.rferl.org/eb50a7db-25c6-4210-a800-0cf62ee7a9c9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
5
The tradition of marking the New Year on Reb Nachman's grave was revived after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
![Religious Jews observe a period of 10 days of reflection beginning with celebrations on Rosh Hashanah and continuing until Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.](https://gdb.rferl.org/22413e7b-528e-4cb0-8c65-06109a3b47d6_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
6
Religious Jews observe a period of 10 days of reflection beginning with celebrations on Rosh Hashanah and continuing until Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/5d23d04b-037c-4470-8afd-e074adc17e9d_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
7
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/0992c376-a4d4-4f0d-8686-0eb4e9e33ddb_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
8
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/40b478d3-54a4-49c7-bd54-6c98de8a932e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
9
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/6eadba3e-3986-4a32-bf6e-782b9577784a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
10
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/e34a4891-e0a2-46e1-addd-cbbf4e45db95_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
11
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/7026207d-03b1-4b4b-9368-40d6d1508078_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
12
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/e3d90658-dc30-4a12-acb3-8c39fd5a9100_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
13
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/fe305b7b-1a4e-4e60-9710-5821aa67193b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
14