Nowadays, the oldest Uman cemetery does not physically exist, but the memory of it cannot be erased. The exact time of its foundation remains unknown. It is assumed that in this cemetery, the territory of which is located in the area of ​​​​modern Pushkina and Grigoriya Kosynky streets, more victims of the Haidamaks pogroms, called the “Massacre of Uman,” were buried. Therefore, many researchers of the Jewish history of Uman are inclined to believe that this kirkut existed already in the middle of the 18th century, when these tragic events took place. However, according to their data, the only exact date of burial known to them, which could be established from the inscriptions on old matzevahs, dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. According to some reports, about 30,000 Jews are buried in the old Jewish cemetery in Uman. Not a single tombstone has survived on this ancient Jewish kirkut.

This cemetery in Uman became widely famous because Tzaddik Nachman was buried there in 1810. During the USSR, the territory of the cemetery was given over to vegetable gardens, although the tzaddik’s grave itself remained untouched. However, Hasidic pilgrims were not allowed to see him.

During the Second World War and the occupation of Uman by the Germans, the ancient Jewish cemetery was actually destroyed, both as a result of the actions of the Nazis and the military clashes that took place. The grave of Rebbe Nachman was no exception - only a tombstone remained from it. In the 1950s, a private house was built in its place.

Today this area is built up with private houses and high-rise buildings. The price for this is the destruction of hundreds of tombstones and the desecrated remains of Jews who were once buried here.

After the collapse of the USSR, Hasidic Jews gradually bought part of the necropolis, including the house built on the site of Nachman’s grave. Today this part is surrounded by a metal fence in the form of a seven-branched candlestick (menorah). According to Hasidim, the territory of the ancient kirkut is 70% built up, and high-rise buildings are located in close proximity to the grave of the tzaddik, which today is a place of annual pilgrimage for his followers from all over the world.

To the east of the ancient cemetery on Osvoboditeley Street there is a newer one, which, however, can also be confidently called “old”. It began to function around the beginning of the twentieth century. The tzaddik's students and his other prominent followers are buried there. The cemetery is already closed for burials, but it may suffer the same fate as the ancient kirkut - local residents are trying to develop some parts of its territory.

The cemetery is visited by a few relatives of the Jews buried there. Thanks to the efforts of the townspeople and donations from Jewish immigrants from Uman, it is possible to maintain it in good condition and carry out periodic improvements.