The government will allocate NIS 10 million to finance infrastructure and transportation arrangements for the annual haredi (ultra-Orthodox) pilgrimage to Uman in Ukraine via Moldova, the Finance Ministry announced on Monday.
A team of experts was also formed to negotiate costs and housing arrangements with Moldova, which requested payment because of the significant number of haredim who travel through its territory to Uman during Rosh Hashanah.
Breslov hassidic leader Rabbi Shalom Arush met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shas chairperson MK Arye Deri, during which a request was raised to formulate an agreed-upon plan with the IDF, allowing ultra-Orthodox men of conscription age to fly to Uman without suffering legal repercussions.
According to a Shas statement, “In this context, and due to the absence of a conscription law, Deri drew attention to the potential issue concerning about 10,000 young men defined as conscription dodgers who usually travel to Uman, which could lead to serious problems at the airport.”
“He suggested considering a regulated framework to differentiate between traveling for prayer and traveling for leisure. Deri will continue to work on behalf of all Breslov hassidim to ensure they can maintain their custom and pray in Uman on Rosh Hashanah,” the statement added.
Lapid: “Why should our tax money fund flights to Uman?”
MK Yair Lapid, the opposition leader and chair of Yesh Atid, criticized the government’s decision to allow draft dodgers to fly to Moldova using public funds.
“Why should our tax money fund flights to Uman? Since when does the government fund flights abroad for private citizens? And why on earth is Deri demanding a plan that would allow draft dodgers to fly? The only place they need to fly to is jail,” he posted on X/Twitter.
Avigdor Liberman, the head of Yisrael Beytenu, also opposed the decision: “A government that, during wartime, sanctifies and encourages draft evasion has no right to exist.”