Uman is a city that occupies a special place in the Jewish history of Eastern Europe. Jews did not just live here, a spiritual center was formed here that had a huge impact on the religious and cultural life of the Jewish people. The Jewish community of Uman, which survived periods of prosperity and tragedy, left a deep mark on the history of Ukraine and the world.
The first Jews settled in Uman in the 16th century, but the community's development began in the 18th century, when the city became a major trading center. Jewish merchants and artisans played an important role in economic life. However, despite economic prosperity, the Jewish community was repeatedly the victim of attacks and pogroms. One of the most terrible episodes was the Haidamaka pogrom of 1768, known as Koliivshchyna, when thousands of Jews and Poles were killed by the rebellious Cossacks.
At the end of the 18th century, Uman became the most important center of Hasidism. It was here that Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the great-grandson of the founder of Hasidism in Israel, Baal Shem Tov, founded his spiritual teaching. His influence on the Jewish world is difficult to overestimate: he preached simplicity in faith, sincere prayer, and joyful service to God.
Rabbi Nachman died in 1810 and was buried in Uman, bequeathing to his followers to come here every year for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This pilgrimage continues to this day: every year, thousands of Breslov Hasidim from different countries come to Uman to pray at his grave. The city has become a kind of "Jewish Mecca", where believers from all over the world flock.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Jews constituted a significant part of the population of Uman. They owned shops, manufactories, were engaged in medicine and education. Synagogues, religious schools (cheders), and charitable societies operated in the city. However, the period of relative prosperity was interrupted after the 1917 revolution and the Civil War. In 1919, terrible Jewish pogroms took place in Uman, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.
After the establishment of Soviet power, the religious life of Jews was subjected to serious restrictions. Synagogues were closed, Yiddish education was curtailed, and many representatives of the Jewish intelligentsia were repressed.
The worst blow to the Jewish community of Uman came during the years of World War II. In 1941, the city was occupied by the Nazis, and a total purge of the Jewish population began. In September 1941, more than 8,000 Jews were shot in the Sukhoi Yar tract. Thousands more died in the subsequent years of occupation.
After the war, many surviving Jews left Uman, emigrating to Israel, the United States, and other countries. The Soviet government did not contribute to the restoration of Jewish life, and Hasidic pilgrimages to the grave of Rabbi Nachman were officially prohibited.
With the collapse of the USSR and Ukraine's independence in 1991, a revival of Jewish life began in Uman. Pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman was restored, and active work by Jewish organizations began. Today, the city has a Jewish community, a school, and charitable foundations. The annual arrival of tens of thousands of pilgrims for Rosh Hashanah plays a special role. This is not only a religious event, but also an important factor in the cultural and economic development of the city.
Although the Jewish community of Uman is small today, its historical significance cannot be overestimated. The city remains an important spiritual center for the Breslov Hasidim, a symbol of Jewish rebirth and remembrance.