Jerusalem, 13 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The body of Yitzhak Elmekayes, 45, a British resident and father of seven, was discovered on Shabbat of Rosh Hashanah in a forest near the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman, Ukraine.
United Hatzalah responders who arrived at the scene pronounced him dead. The body was found in a wooded area not far from the gravesite, where tens of thousands of worshippers from Israel and around the world had gathered for the holiday. Hasidim who had gone into the forest for personal prayer and meditation discovered the body.
According to initial reports, signs of violence were found on the body, raising suspicions that Elmekayes may have been murdered. Local authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death.
The incident occurred as tens of thousands of worshippers were in Uman for the traditional Rosh Hashanah gathering at Rabbi Nachman’s gravesite.