In one of the largest annual Jewish pilgrimages to any site outside of Israel, tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews — almost exclusively men and their sons — flocked to the city of Uman in southern Ukraine this week to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the start of a new year in the Jewish calendar.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who died in 1810 at age 38, was the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement. During his lifetime, thousands of followers traveled to be with him for the holidays of Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah and Shavuot. On the last Rosh Hashana of his life, Rebbe Nachman stressed to his followers the importance of being with him for that holiday in particular. Therefore, after his death, an annual pilgrimage to his gravesite was held on Rosh Hashana. This tradition has continued for more than 200 years.