Uman II

“So,” people ask me, “how was Uman?”

“Well, to tell you the truth, it wasn’t me that was there, so I really wouldn’t know”, is what I want to reply- but don’t.

“Amazing”, is what I usually do say, though.

And if my husband says that something is amazing- it really must be.
Let me tell you about his trip so that you can be amazed, too.

To begin, Mr. WE (working ema) had a flight plan that included the first part of the flight, flying in a plane with virtually no other Jews. One other Jew, to be exact.

But, thankfully, when arriving at the first airport, there were many other Jewish people going on their flight, leaving to Kiev. The flight to the first airport was amazing and comfortable, that is true. But that should have been a forewarning for what was to come.

The flight to Kiev was a three hour ride on a small, shaky airplane, that was boarded on the tarmac, which led to a three hour ride in a small, bumpy van to… Uman.

Getting there at 12am, the place was teeming with people, of all shapes, sizes, colors, and levels of religious conviction. Being exhausted, Mr. WE wanted to just put down his bags and go to sleep, but when he entered the room he was to stay in, he found himself putting his bags down and turning right back around to go check out the going-ons. He even bought himself a pie of (Israeli) pizza (not worth it).

As he wandered aimlessly, staring in wonder at the amazing sight of this huge piece of land, swarming with Jews of all types, he met many people he knew, some as old as his father and some as young as children (maybe because they were children). Anyhow, he came upon this huge tent set up on the grounds. “What can this be?” he wondered. Luckily, he understood some Hebrew, for as he entered the tent, he was accosted by a frantic Israeli man, yelling at him and asking him what he was doing in here. Even luckier, was that another guy in the tent knew him and told the Israeli screamer to leave him alone. In this huge tent were about 50+ gigantic pots, all boiling away. This was the food for Yom Tov. Amazing…… (better than anything was that he got a FREE plate of chulent- a rarity there, I can assure you).

Next, he went to the Kever of R’ Nachman and recited the Tikkun that one is supposed to say there (don’t ask me what, where, or how).

Going to the Mikvah, before and during Rosh Hashana- a miracle in itself as Mr. WE hardly ever goes to the Mikvah (once a year to be exact)- three times all together- was an experience in itself. As Mr. WE put it “it was bumper to bumper”. Not only that, it was interesting to see these extremely religious men, chassidish men, with looong beards and looong peyos…………….with an eagle tattooed across one’s chest, an almost-naked lady tattooed across another’s arm…. Of course, they were Baalei T’shuva and deserve much credit for going to the Mikvah when they know their tatooes, which they might be embarrassed of, would be seen by all.

Davening on Rosh Hashana….put in this way. I told Mr. WE that he could go to Uman just this year, because we really need the brachos and zechusim. He came back telling me that the only place he can daven a real Rosh Hashana davening is in Uman- and that is the place he wants to daven every year.
In the shul, occupied by 10,000 people, there was only room for 5,000 people, resulting in an eight-hour long davening- while standing the WHOLE TIME. And this was only one shul. There were many, many shuls and minyanim around- including minyanim started on the street.

Tashlich was an awesome sight and experience. THIRTY THOUSAND people standing around one lake- all Jewish people, too (I can just imagine the Ukranians, looking at all these Jews… what they must think… after killing so many Jews in these very waters, the Jews are back praying at the same spot their ancestors had died.) When tashlich was said and done, rings began flying through the air- tongue rings, earrings, nose rings, you name it rings- all being thrown into the water- ridding themselves of their ‘baggage’. After throwing in the rings, the ring-throwers were approached by many who wished them a ‘Mazal Tov’.

And the food… In order to get a normal meal, you had to pay $100- which Mr. WE did not do. So, not wanted to ‘shnurrer’ food from the person he was staying at, he got onto the line for free food. This was done every meal. They would give out one bottle of grape juice, a ‘lechem mishna’ (two challah’s), a covered plate of chicken and rice, a bottle of soda, and fish to each person that came. Mr. WE got on line to receive his free meal, and the line was looonnggg. But, there was enough food to feed 5,000 people! So, while Mr. WE stood on line to receive his portion, the impatient people in front of him decided to…. what else, dance! Of course, they grabbed Mr. WE into the circle. Finally, Mr. WE got to the front- and found out that he was #5,001!! Well, at least he got the grape juice, challah, and two sodas! Eventually, he went back to the apartment he was staying at, and found out they had a whole home-cooked meal, and they had waited for him, but decided to start eating without him…. They saved him some food, don’t worry.

Davening at the Kever of R’ Nachman M’Breslov was amazing as well. People that did not look Jewish at all, would go up to the matzeivah (gravestone) and burst out in body-wracking sobs that would leave them weak. As they say, in every Jew, there is a ‘pintele yid’.

I think this is a short enough version of Rosh Hashana in Uman, for you to get a taste of what is was like. The most amazing thing that Mr. WE found in Uman, was that everyone was just so accepting of one another- no matter who they were or how they looked. Now, Mr. WE wants to become a Breslov Chassid. (Uh oh….???)