Erdoğan congratulates Jewish citizens on Rosh Hashanah

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a message to congratulate Jewish citizens on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

“I wish Rosh Hashanah, which symbolizes new year’s day according to the Hebrew calendar, to bring health, peace and well-being to all Jews, especially our Jewish citizens,” Erdoğan said in his message.

Erdoğan underlined that all citizens belonging to different faiths have been living together in peace for centuries, which “constitutes one of the most important qualities that have always made our country strong.”

He also stated that he believes “this richness” will carry the country forward in every sense.

According to the Jewish faith, the day marks the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman on Earth.

Meanwhile, Hasidic Jewish pilgrims, who come to the Ukrainian city of Uman in Ukraine every year to visit the tomb of one of the main figures of Hasidic Judaism, gathered in the city for their annual pilgrimage despite authorities asking them to skip the trip because of the war.

Uman is relatively far from the frontline, but Ukrainian and Israeli authorities still urged worshippers to skip the celebrations taking place between Sept. 25 and 27 this year.

Despite the warnings, crowds of Hasidim dressed in traditional black clothing gathered in Uman, celebrating on the streets.

Pilgrims often cite a religious text from Rabbi Nachman, the founder of an ultra-Orthodox movement who died in the city in 1810, in which he promised he would “save [worshippers] from hell” if they came to visit his tomb on Rosh Hashanah.

Police set up a wide perimeter to access the area around the grave, checking IDs and only letting through residents and Hasidim.