In Ukraine, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated at the grave of Rabbi Nachman

Yosef Chaim Bernfeld, a young New York businessman trying to turn his life around, traveled to Uman this weekend for a "spiritual fix."

Every Jewish New Year, even this one during a raging war, thousands of Hasidic pilgrims transform this city in central Ukraine into a mini Jerusalem.

They walk around in large groups, sipping Coke Zero and kosher pizza, paying in shekels. They blast Hebrew hip-hop and dance hard together in the middle of the street.

They exchange blessings: “I ask God to give you a sense of belonging , to give you stability, to grow your business this year” – and drink copious amounts of red wine well after the war curfew.

Mr. Bernfeld, a robust 33-year-old who says he has struggled with his faith and drug addiction, has joined this gathering 11 times. But this year he was clean, and his verdict was: "It's different, maybe not as fun." »

But then his face lit up. "No man," he said, "it's amazing. It's like a reset."

ImageMore than 35,000 pilgrims showed up this weekend, despite the biggest war Europe has seen in generations.

ImageOnce a year, Uman becomes a thriving Jewish community in a place where Judaism was virtually wiped out.

This year, even Europe's biggest war in generations and the numerous travel warnings could not last...