Families with children and adults came to the Belarus-Ukraine border due to a false rumor that it was opened • The devotees spent the night in difficult conditions, and the Red Cross operates on the spot
Hundreds are stuck on the way to Uman
Photo:
Sharon Knafo
More than 1,500 followers who tried to enter Ukraine via Belarus, on their way to the city of Uman, got stuck on the border between the two countries following a false rumor that the gates had opened.
Families with small children spent the night (Tuesday) in the cold without proper equipment.
Red Cross personnel came to the rescue and set up a tent on the spot for the benefit of the children.
Despite the difficult conditions, the Hasidim refuse to leave the place and make it clear - we are going to Uman.
The incident began yesterday at noon (Monday), when a rumor spread on the Belarus-Ukraine border that Ukraine had decided to open the country's gates and allow the followers to enter the nation.
In Belarus, many devotees have been in Belarus for the past few weeks, hoping to legally reach the nationalist, and when they heard that the border had opened, they hurried to the place, only to find that the rumors were false.
Photo: Sharon Knafo
"Yesterday afternoon, guys at the border received a report from one of the Belarusian officers that Ukraine had opened," says Sharon Knafo, a well-known Breslav follower who headed the "Noah" list for the Knesset, and who was there with two of his children.
"There may have been an entry of citizens who paid a large bribe to the Ukrainians, and from there the illusion developed. The rumor spread on WhatsApp and within two hours masses arrived here. Within a short time, hundreds of Israelis crossed the border from Belarus, getting stuck between the two countries."
Due to the rumor and the strong desire to cross the border, the Israelis who came to the place did so without suitable equipment or food, on the assumption that they would be able to stock up on food and equipment in Ukraine.
"People did not come prepared to stay in the field because they were sure the border opened. No one planned to stay here at night. There are families, children, adults in their sixties and seventies. You can count here about twenty tents in total, with the rest sleeping on the ground in the field without mattresses. I personally "Without a coat. In Belarus the weather is good, but we are near a forest and it was very cold at night. We could not fall asleep and sat every aura by the fires."
In the cold and without enough food. Red Cross men on the Belarusian border // Photo: Sharon Kanfo
The fear of a real disaster did not escape the eyes of the medical staff in Belarus.
Red Cross personnel were rushed to the scene with blankets and hot drinks, in an attempt to help the frozen devotees.
"They organized a big tent for the children, but it was not enough. My children slept outside," says Knafo.
Despite the fact that the border is not expected to open any time soon, the followers refuse to give up.
"No one intends to return to Belarus, partly because there are reports that whoever enters Belarus will not be able to return to the border, and also because the atmosphere here is very strong. There is a strong belief that something good will happen here - with the help of the name we will cross the border."
"There is a strong atmosphere here. We will reach the artist" // Photo: Sharon Knafo
Knafo calls on decision-makers in Israel and Ukraine to come to their senses and understand that this is not another festival, but a real spiritual need.
"There is a war here for the freedom of the people of Israel and for all mankind. Humanity is moving towards something very unfortunate and only we, the ordinary citizens, can prevent it by standing together in the face of the evil forces trying to make global change. .
"Look what's going on here. People have been out of the house for a whole month to get to Rabbi Nachman. People go through unpleasant things physically to get there. I see here a friend who was a plant a year ago, had a serious accident. I see older people, aged 60 and 70 , Families with children. All in faith and a desire to reach out to Rabbi Nachman. One should understand, an artist is not a festival. One should stop this contempt for people, say that they go to a festival, prostitutes or drugs. People who go to a festival do not give up their souls like that. We need it "For his soul and spirit. Need it for the soul."
