Another act of religious hatred committed in Uman before the New Year

Unknown people knocked down gypsum crucifixion of Jesus Christ from a wooden cross in Uman, Cherkasy region.

According to the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, a criminal proceeding was opened in response to the incident on grounds of Article 161 (violation of equal rights of citizens based on their race, national affiliation or religious beliefs) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The organization noted that the cross-shaped construction with gypsum sculpture was installed in July 2013 over the pond, near which there is an annual pilgrimage of Orthodox Jewish pilgrims. Construction was installed without permission from the authorities, by activists of the anti-Hasidic organization Council of Non-Governmental Organizations of Uman.

As far as it can be judged, the cross was deliberately set so that the “praying over the water” (one of the Orthodox Jewish New Year rituals) was facing towards the sculpture of Christ, which is unacceptable for Orthodox Jews, as it is perceived as a form of idolatry.

The cross has been subjected to an attack of the vandals in 2013 (back then the words “do not anger the God” has been applied to the sculpture).

As a reminder, On December 21, a group of aggressive men burst into the synagogue, located near the Rabbi Nachman’s grave in Uman, Cherkasy region. Attackers splattered blood and pig’s head, with a carved swastika sign on it, while insulting the worshippers.

A criminal proceeding was opened with a preliminary assessment of Art. 296 part 2 (“hooliganism”) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslav is a revered Hasidic tzaddik (saintly/righteous person) and the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement. Every year tens of thousands of faithful Jews visit his grave. The peak of pilgrimage happens on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.