Rosh Hashana . Umahn, an ordinary Ukranian town with the population about 90,000, has become one of the biggest centers of Jewish pilgrimage outside Israel. Every year almost 20,000 pilgrims from all over the world decend on Umahn to celebrate the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashana and to pray at the grave of the founder of Hasidism, rabbi Nahman from Breslav, who died in Umahn in 1810. Before his death rabbi Nahman swore an unusual oath: "If anyone comes to my grave, sacrifices a coin and reads ten chosen psalms, I'll catch his side-locks draw him out of the hell's depth. And it makes no difference what he has done before." Each year more and more supporters of Breslav Hasidism gather in Umahn, at the grave of their rabbi.  But it has not always been this easy to make the pilgrimage. After World War I, the October Revolution, Civil war and the establishment of the Communist regime in Ukraine, pilgrimages to Umahn became difficult. The old Jewish cemetry was completely destroyed as was the house near Nahman's grave during the bombardement of 1944. Only a tomb remained. After the war the municipal authorities decided to construct houses at the cemetry site and it was at this time that an old hasid from Lvov managed to buy out a piece of land next to the grave to build a property for his future pilgrimages to the site. The following year when he returned to Umahn, he found the house had been sold to a Ukranian family. The new owner disliked Jews and repelled them from his house and desecrated the grave. However, after a bout of ill health the house was soon sold again and in 1996 the house was sold to Breslav hasids for $130,000. In recent years hasids have bought many apartments and houses situated near Nahman's grave.  A hotel and a synagogue have also be constructed. On the first day of Rosh Hashana thousands of hasids dressed in white garments stride along the streets of Umahn in the direction of the lake to perform the Tashlik rite. The sense of this rite is symbolic: they 'shake-out' their sins, some people turn out their pockets and shake them out, some people turn out tallithes and read Psalms, declaring "Let the water whirl away all our sins". On this lakeside in 1941 the Nazis drove hundreds of Jews into the water.  They made sure that they couldn't get out and watched as they drowned.  Today the Ukranian police cordon off the area so that 20,000 hasids can freely dance, recite Psalms and Piyyuts and pray at the grave of the founder of Hasidism, rabbi Nahman from Breslav. Rosh Hashana  Umahn by Maxim Dondyuk Hasids have fun by the lake. A hasid plays the violin by the lake while another swims. Hasids resting by the lake between prayers. During Rosh Hashana a great number of Jewish children can be seen playing in Umahn’s playgrounds. In the areas where hasids stay there are many food tents where hasids can eat for free. During Rosh Hashana, locals let their houses to hasids, themselves sleeping in their sheds or their cars. On top of Nahman’s grave a hasid is reciting Piyyuts (Jewish liturgical poetry). Prayers. Fun by the lake. Prayers by the lake. Let the water whirl away our sins. Jewish cemetary, Umahn. Performing the Tashlik rite at the lake side. Please note:   Life Force magazine is greatly supported by you looking at our advertising which is free to view. In an incompleted house standing on the lakeside. Recital of the Tashlik prayer on the lakeside. Tashlik rite. The shaking out of the sins.