Uman

Uman is a city of Cherkassy oblast (region) of central Ukraine. Uman city is situated on the banks of Umanka and Kamenka rivers.

Uman Ukraine city population - 88,000 (2007).
Uman Ukraine city land area - 45 sq. km.
Uman Ukraine city phone code - +380-4744.
Uman Ukraine city postal code - 20300.

Uman as a settlement was first mentioned in 1616. Uman was a fort defending against the Tatars raids and a prominent Cossack regiment was stationed in Uman town. In 1768 Uman Massacre occurred after Cossack rebels Maksym Zalizniak and Ivan Gonta captured Uman city during anti-Polish uprising (Uman city coat of arms commemorates the event depicting a rebel armed with a spear).

In 1793 Uman town became part of the Russian Empire and a number of aristocratic residences were built there. A large Jewish community lived in Uman town in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Uman city has a famous Sofiyivka (Sofia) park founded in 1796 by Count Stanislaw Szczesny Potocki, a noble Polish szlachcic, who named it for his wife Sofia. The Sofia Park has a lot of waterfalls and narrow, arching stone bridges crossing the streams and scenic ravines. These bridges may be inspired Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav for his famous quote: "All the world is just a narrow bridge, but the main thing is not to fear". It was set to music in both Hebrew and English, and is still sung by Jews around the world.

Uman city is the burial place of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the Rebbe of the Breslov group of Hasidic Jews. Rabbi Nachman spent the end of his life in Uman town, and requested to be buried there. During Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year) there is a major pilgrimage by Breslov Hasidim and others to visit the grave in Uman city. It has increased in recent years to the point where some 30,000 chassidim attend each year (mainly men).

This practice dates back to 1811, the year after Rabbi Nachman was buried in Uman town. The Rebbe told his hassidim, before he died, that they should join him for Rosh Hashana, and this is why the devout Breslov Hassidim still visit him every year for the Jewish new year. During the Soviet regime the pilgrimage was forbidden by the authorities, but was resumed in 1989 before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.