The US Department of State has issued a Level 4 advisory cautioning Jewish citizens against traveling to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

Since the outbreak of the war in 2022, Uman has been the target of multiple Russian missile strikes. Often occurring without warning, local authorities have admitted that the city lacks sufficient air raid shelters even for its own population. Furthermore, like most Ukrainian cities it remains under martial law with strict curfews and movement restrictions in place.

Ukraine has also eliminated its “residence abroad” exception that previously allowed certain male dual citizens aged 18 to 60 to leave the country. This means that U.S.-Ukrainian dual citizens who make the trip anyhow could find themselves trapped within the war-torn country indefinitely.

“There is an extremely high risk U.S. citizens will not be allowed to depart, even with a U.S. passport,” the State Department emphasized in its highest level of travel advisory.

Tuesday’s warning comes as a significant blow to thousands of Jewish pilgrims who typically make the journey to Uman each year for Rosh Hashanah.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the charismatic founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, made a deathbed promise in 1810 that he would intercede in heaven for anyone who came to pray at his gravesite. This pledge has transformed Uman into a major pilgrimage site for his followers, particularly during Rosh Hashanah.

In recent years, the High Holidays have drawn upwards of 30,000 Jewish visitors annually, primarily from Israel, the US, and Europe. The gathering has become a unique blend of spiritual devotion and festive celebration, with the streets of Uman typically filled with singing, dancing, and davening during the chag. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of determined Jewish pilgrims found ways to reach Uman despite travel limitations.

However, the ongoing war in Ukraine has cast a dark shadow over this cherished tradition. The State Department’s advisory is now the third such warning since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.