According to reports, 20-25 thousand pilgrims were not deterred by all that and went anyway.
And dont forget, the way out is basically the same story but in reverse. And actually a bit worse - while coming in everyone went on staggered schedules, each traveling on his own timeline, leaving Uman happened for almost all 25 thousand people at once.
While I am not 100% clear on why, there is a major gridlock for the pilgrims leaving, and many have been sitting on the road for hours and by now even days, trying to get out of Ukraine. It is a massive traffic jam leading to the borders and probably some bureaucracy as well.
The news today reported that MK Meir Porush (UTJ) has gotten involved and has been pushing the Foreign Ministry and Defense officials to intervene assist with finding solutions to help the people trying to leave who are stuck at the borders.
With knowing just that sparse information, I must say that this is a big difference between the Haredi MKs form Shas and UTJ and most of the other MKs. Most MKs are, as the job role seems to require, working on the more macro level, setting policy, passing laws, and the like. In addition to all that, the Haredi MKs spend a lot of time actually helping individuals (and I am sure other MKs do as well, but the Haredi MKs see it as an integral part of their job - let me know if I am wrong) and dealing with micro issues. An MK dealing with a traffic jam in another country getting involved because Israeli citizens are there? I am not sure how many MKs would care enough or feel responsible enough t bother with it. this might be a good thing, and maybe some see it as a bad thing - so focused on assisting individuals makes them deficient perhaps in assisting on the greater levels, but I think that is part of why their communities love them so much.
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Politicians, at least national ones, shouldn't be taking care of constituents; they should be legislating (or, better, blocking legislation). They're not social workers, especially not for people foolish enough to go to Uman. (Update: Berland promises they'll be home by Simchat Torah at the latest. Well, that's encouraging.) Here? They're buying votes, plain and simple. Especially with an election coming up. (And we can't have 30,000 voters in Uman for the election!)
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