New Study Reveals Surprising Demographics of Israeli Pilgrims to Uman
A new Israel Democracy Institute study reveals that 8% of Israeli Jews have visited Uman, with 59% traveling outside Rosh Hashanah. Traditional Jews and young adults lead the diverse pilgrimage demographics.
As tens of thousands prepare to travel to the Ukrainian town of Uman for Rosh Hashanah, a comprehensive new study by the Israel Democracy Institute, conducted by Ariel Finkelstein, reveals a different and surprising picture of the pilgrimage to the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. The data, based on a survey conducted in July-August 2026 for a study scheduled for publication soon, shows that the phenomenon is much broader and more diverse than the prevailing public image.
According to the survey's findings, 8% of the entire adult Jewish population in Israel has visited the "holy gravesite" in Uman at least once in their lifetime. Among them, nearly half (49%) regularly return to visit the site once every few years, and another 22.5% arrive at least once a year. Conversely, 28.5% visited the location only once.
Most Visitors Do Not Arrive on Rosh Hashanah
One of the most surprising findings in the survey concerns the timing of the journey: contrary to the conventional perception that links Uman almost exclusively to Rosh Hashanah, it turns out that a clear majority of Israeli visitors—59%—visited the site at other times throughout the year rather than on the holiday. Out of the 41% who did arrive for the holiday, 26% visited only on Rosh Hashanah, and 15% combined both and arrived on the holiday as well as at other times.
A breakdown of the visit timing by gender reveals dramatic gaps: while 55% of male visitors to Uman do so during Rosh Hashanah, the picture is completely reversed among women—77% of them visit the gravesite during the year, and only 23% arrive on the holiday. This gap stems, among other things, from the opposition of Breslov rabbis to women's pilgrimage on Rosh Hashanah and the closure of the women's section during the holiday, alongside an unprecedented boom in spiritual journeys and organized female tourism led by female rabbis at times other than the holiday. Overall, the proportion of women who have ever visited Uman stands at 7%, very close to the proportion of men (9%).
Mizrahim and Traditional Israelis Lead
An examination of ethnic background indicates that the proportion of Mizrahi Jews who have visited Uman reaches 13%—a figure significantly higher compared to Ashkenazim (5%) and those of mixed origin (4%). The researchers explain that although this is an East European Hasidic court, the connection of the Mizrahi public to the figure of Rabbi Nachman relies on a deep and longstanding tradition of visiting righteous graves and the widespread adoption of Breslov teachings.
The breakdown by level of religiosity shows that visitors to Uman come from all walks of Israeli society:
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Traditional Jews form the largest group (42%): 26% define themselves as traditional-religious and 16% as traditional non-religious.
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Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) make up 26% of all visitors.
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Secular Jews constitute 21%—meaning more than one in five Israelis who have visited Uman define themselves as secular.
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National-Religious Jews account for 11% of the visiting audience.
Looking from within the sectors themselves, nearly one in five Haredim (19%) has visited Uman at least once, alongside 16% of traditional-religious Jews, 7% of National-Religious and non-religious traditional Jews, and 4% among secular individuals.
Young People and Lower Income
The survey also points to distinct socio-economic characteristics: there is a clear correlation between lower income levels and pilgrimage to Uman. 12% of those with incomes below the median visited the site, compared to 9% of average income earners and only 6% of those with incomes above the median.
«The data shows that the pilgrimage to Uman is no longer a niche phenomenon, but a widespread cultural and spiritual practice spanning diverse segments of Israeli society.»
In addition, the audience arriving at the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman tends to be young: among ages 18-44, the proportion of visitors stands at 10%, compared to only 6% among those aged 45 and above. According to the study's author, this is an interesting finding that points to the expansion of the phenomenon and rapid growth in the number of travelers specifically in recent years.
