70 conscripted Hasidim flying to Uman detained in Israeli airports

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers arrested on their way to Uman. Photo: news.israelinfo

On the eve of the celebration of Rosh Hashanah (September 22-24, 2025), Israeli law enforcement agencies detained more than 70 young ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers who planned to fly to Uman for pilgrimage. This is reported by IsraelInfo.

The peak of arrests occurred on Monday, September 15, at Ben Gurion Airport, where 33 people were detained. Over the past few days, more than 70 draft dodgers have been detained in total. All of them are under arrest warrants. They attempted to fly abroad, using foreign passports and other bypass methods.

The Israeli army had previously warned of increased measures to identify and detain draft dodgers at airports during the holidays. Despite the calls from Breslov rabbis to refrain from traveling, many young people ignored these recommendations.

After the mass arrests, public and political figures intervened in the situation. Rabbi Natan Ben-Nun, head of the "Breslov Union in Uman," called on the authorities to immediately release the detainees, stating that they were traveling for prayer, not leisure.

Various parties appealed to the country's leadership to allow yeshiva students to participate in the pilgrimage without the risk of detention. However, the government's legal advisor emphasized that there is no mechanism allowing draft dodgers to legally leave the country.

As reported by the UOJ, additional restrictions were introduced in Uman before the arrival of the Hasidim. It is expected that about 45,000 pilgrims will visit the city.

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