My Uman Adventure

Wow! From the minute we arrived in Uman earlier this month to the very end of this trip, the whole experience was incredible, like no other. It’s actually hard to explain, you need to come and experience it for yourself to really understand.
 
We were very blessed to have the most fabulous hosts – Rabbi Nochum and Rebbetzin Chaya Solarsh, an extremely warm and kind couple, who run Inn Uman.  Everyone was made to feel really at home and we were treated exceptionally well. From the healthy, tasty food, to the comfortable rooms, and excellent organizational skills, nothing was too much for them.
 
To make this trip extra special, we were privileged to have the amazing Rabbi Lazer Brody as our physical and spiritual guide throughout the whole trip.  Rabbi Brody radiates with light, energy, and you can feel his love for every Jew, regardless of background, which is so inspiring, uplifting and infectious.  His beloved and sweet wife Rebbetzin Yehudit joined the Rabbi on this visit and it was a pleasure to meet her.

There was a wonderful, eclectic mix of people who gathered together for this Ukrainian Summer Adventure, from all four corners of the world – South Americans, British, Americans, Native Russians, and Israelis but we all had one thing in common – seekers of truth and a desire and thirst to serve Hashem.

 
The first day, after arriving, we spent acclimating ourselves, resting, and having time to pray at Rabbi Nachman’s holy grave site, the Tziyun. We were also fortunate to have a dynamic one-to-one spiritual counseling session with Rabbi Brody as well.
 
On Thursday, we visited Breslev, Medzibuz, and Berditchev, which was the highlight of the trip for me.
 
First we arrived in Breslev the home of Rabbi Nachman, before he moved to Uman.  Breslev is also the resting place of his student Rabbi Natan, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude, for writing down all of Rabbi Nachman’s teachings.
 
Upon arriving, we were treated to a shiur from Rabbi Brody, set to a background of stunningly beautiful and exquisite scenery. This is where Rabbi Nachman spent his time doing hitbodedut (speaking to Hashem in your own words).
 
Medzibuz, the resting place of the Baal Shem Tov (the Great Grandfather of Rabbi Nachman and Founder of Chassidus) was our next stop.  We also visited his old Synagogue and a spring that had miraculously appeared after the Baal Shem Tov had prayed and begged Hashem, to relieve a severe drought.
 
The final stop was, Berditchev, where a delicious and sumptuous meal awaited us and we were treated to a song, “Yiddisha Mama” by the very gifted and talented, young Chazzan Ushi Blumenberg, all the way from New York.   After our fabulous meal, Rabbi Brody gave a night time shiur outdoors, in the stunning hotel grounds, about hitbodedut and Perek Shira (an ancient Jewish text where all the elements of creation, including animals, sing praises for their very existence).  The most memorable thing of all for me was that whilst Rabbi Brody was delivering his shiur, we heard a chorus from an array of animals in the background, on perfect cue, including geese, dogs, frogs, and birds, which really added an inner depth and meaning to the shiur.
 
Rabbi Brody had intended to cancel this amazing shiur, because we were running so late, but we witnessed Hashgachah pratit (Divine Intervention).  Hashem decided to stop our coach engine from starting and whilst we were all waiting for a replacement coach, Rabbi Brody had been given the perfect opportunity to speak.  As soon as Rabbi Brody, had delivered the last word, the new replacement coach drove into the grounds!
 
Back to the bus and we were now running a bit late, actually by about 4 hours!  The Kever of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev was now locked.  We were fortunate enough to get a local Jewish man who kindly agreed to unlock the Kever.  This was certainly not for the faint-hearted.  It was the most surreal experience ever, as we trailed though the 300 year-old graveyard at 1:30 AM in the morning, in the pitch black, with just a few torches.  The only noise that could be heard, was a train approaching from the distance and then the sound of its whistle, suddenly piercing the dead of night.  This could have been straight out of a Hollywood movie.  After we entered the Kever, Rabbi Brody and Chazzan Blumenberg began singing one of the prayers written on the wall, in Yiddish, which just made the atmosphere even more electrical and emotionally charged, and sent a shiver down my spine.  I don’t think there was a dry eye in the Kever.
 
Thirty five exhausted but spiritually supercharged travelers, headed back on the long and very bumpy journey to Uman, ready for our next experience – Shabbat in Uman. 
 
Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat day, we had the pleasure of the stunning singing voice of Chazzan Blumenberg, to accompany us in prayer.  Magnificent, heimishe food was served throughout Shabbat and as well as this, we were treated to great uplifting shirum from Rabbi Brody,  including Litkutei Moharan, and how to have a good marriage. The Melave Malka concluded this very special Shabbat and our Uman Trip 2013.
 
Time to head back home, very early Sunday morning.  This was my second trip to Uman, and once again I felt like my spiritual batteries had been recharged.  I would recommend this trip to anyone seeking a boost in their emuna and bitachon.  There is such power by praying at the holy Tzaddikims’ grave sites – it is unbelievable!  Since arriving back, it feels like my soul has been put through a washing machine, on a 60-degree cycle. All the dust and cobwebs, that were preventing me from listening and connecting to Hashem, have been cleaned away.  My spiritual antennae definitely feels more refined and attuned.   I can hear the birds and trees rustling in the wind so much clearer.  It is said that Rabbi Nachman is the Doctor of the Soul, and after this trip, I could not agree more.  Thank you so much Hashem for blessing my husband and I with a trip of a lifetime and being able to share it with such special people.