Uman Cemetery Marker

Location: Ukraine

The Commission is raising funds for the Rabbi Nachman Commemorative Marker in Uman, Ukraine.

The marker will be erected to commemorate the Historical Jewish Cemetery in Uman, which is an important historical landmark for the Jewish community worldwide. This site is one of, if not the most, visited Jewish pilgrimage sites in the world outside of Israel. This cemetery contains the mass graves of the victims of the infamous Haydamaks massacre of 1768 which killed thousands of Jews for refusing to forsake their faith. It is also the resting place of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (April 4, 1772 – October 16, 1810), one of the most prominent early Chassidic Masters, whose teaching, to this day, continues to inspire and guide many Jews worldwide. During his lifetime, Rabbi Nachman repeatedly expressed a wish to be buried among the victims of the Uman massacre. He said that there is a special holiness at their resting place, as they were massacred for their belief in the Almighty. After the Rabbi’s death on October 16, 1810, he was buried between the two mass graves of the Haydamak’s victims. During the Nazi occupation and the Soviet era, the cemetery was ransacked, and tombstones were broken down and removed.

The fate of this site is of great concern, and the marker will serve as a key reminder to its sacredness and the urgent need to protect and preserve it. The Commission is partnering with the Historical Cultural Center of Uman Foundation to complete this important project.