Israel's COVID-19 task force director apologizes for asking Ukraine to ban Uman visits

(JNS) - Israel's national coronavirus project coordinator Ronni Gamzu apologized on Thursday for bypassing the country's political echelon and directly contacting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to ask that he bar Chassidic pilgrims from visiting the city of Uman in September.

Many thousands of Jews visit the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov every year around Rosh Hashanah. In his letter to the Ukrainian leader, Gamzu warned of the massive spread of the virus that could be caused by allowing such a pilgrimage to take place this year.

"I apologize that I did not inform the prime minist...