This week, 160 flights will set out from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel for Uman, where 30,000 Breslaver chassidim plan to spend Rosh Hashona with “Rebbe Nachman”. The Breslaver rebbe promised at his death that spending Rosh Hashona at his shrine would confer great spiritual benefits, and since then, Breslaver chassidim have been traveling to Uman.
Due to the traffic congestion, flights will be taking off from both Terminal 1 and 3 and officials warn passengers to be sure to come to their correct terminal. They are also advised to arrive 4 hours early to avoid the rush and do on-line check-in.
Ben Gurion airport is experiencing unprecedented growth this month. Approximately 1.9 million passengers are expected to pass through it until the end of the High Holiday season, with over 90,000 passengers traveling in 540 flights alone this Thursday (the latest date visitors from the US can arrive for Rosh Hashana).
The airport officials say they are prepared for the large mass of travelers, which constitutes 8% more travelers than in 2015.