Over the coming days, more than 50,000 people from all walks of life will visit the Ohel, the resting place of the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory—to mark the 31st anniversary of his passing on the 3rd of Tammuz, which this year coincides with June 29.
A simple gray mausoleum nestled in a crowded Queens cemetery, the Ohel’s unassuming exterior belies the spiritual depth and global significance of what happens within. One million people make the pilgrimage to the Rebbe’s gravesite each year. They are religious and not, laypeople and leaders, Jews and non-Jews, each one coming to pray, seek inspiration and find solace.
Our Sages teach that when a righteous person passes on, their presence in this world endures even more profoundly than during their lifetime. Visiting his resting place offers a powerful opportunity to connect with the Rebbe, draw inspiration from his life and teachings, and request his intercession on high.
That is why, at any hour of the day or night, one can find people of every background and affiliation at the Ohel. A Chassidic fur shtreimel beside a knitted kippah, a black hat next to someone wearing a yarmulke just for the visit; these are common sights. Many don’t just come once; for them, the Ohel is part of a regular spiritual rhythm. They return again and again, drawing strength, clarity and inspiration for the journey ahead.
Gershon Haft is one such individual. In his professional life, he works for a nonprofit called The Next Step, which supports amputees in Israel by building a movement of resilience and solidarity through endurance sports like running and cycling. For spiritual grounding, he makes a monthly visit to the Ohel, a commitment that has blossomed into a community of its own.
“At first,” he says, “it was just a few of us squeezing into one Uber. It steadily grew, and today, we fill an entire bus every month.”
“For me, personally, going to the Rebbe’s Ohel is a kind of recentering, a recalibration,” Haft reflects. “It helps me feel aligned with my neshama, my Jewish soul. It’s also a check-in with G‑d and a check-in with the Rebbe. I let him know what’s happened over the past month, what I’m hoping for in the coming one. It’s a space where I can be vulnerable, reflect on the bigger picture of the Jewish people and pray on behalf of anyone who needs it.”
Another regular is Lisa Zelouf, a customer-service sales associate at a leading Swiss watchmaker. She has been joining the trips regularly for the past two years.
“Every single time I go to the Ohel feels refreshing and special,” she says, noting that the impact the visits have are on her community and on each individual personally. “The Ohel brings our community together; it is so touching to see how much the Ohel impacts each of us in a personal way.”
‘My Heart Opened’
Two years ago, Layla Yasharal moved from Los Angeles to New York, knowing no one in her new city. Then she saw a post about monthly trips to the Ohel organized by the community and decided to join. It was her first time visiting the Rebbe’s resting place, and the experience left a lasting impact.
“At the Ohel, my heart just opened up—really, my whole world opened up,” she tells Chabad.org.
Since then, she’s also become a regular, joining the monthly trips whenever she can. Reflecting on the past two years, Layla says the visits have had a profound effect on the course of her life.
“Looking back, I can clearly see how many of my prayers at the Ohel have been answered. So much of what I asked the Rebbe to intercede for has come to fruition, and things that weren’t right for me didn’t end up happening. It’s truly become such a central part of my life.”
For Layla, the introduction to the Rebbe and his teachings came through her visits to the Ohel. For others, like Irit Maor, the journey began with the Rebbe’s teachings, and visiting the Ohel became the culmination of a growing connection and inspiration.
“My journey to the Ohel was sparked by the deep admiration I have for the Rebbe’s emissaries, Rabbi Mendy and Chaya Hecht of Chabad Forest Hills North,” Irit shares. “I actually met the Rebbe once, briefly, as a young child during a visit to 770 with my Jewish day camp, but the depth and meaning of that encounter faded from memory until I met the Hechts.”
Though she had attended High Holiday services for years, Irit says she often felt out of place in synagogue. “Not being able to read or write Hebrew left me with a persistent sense of unworthiness in synagogue. But through my friendship with Chaya, I began to see myself differently. She introduced me to the Rebbe’s vision, that every Jew is an essential part of the Jewish people, no matter their background or level of observance.”
That message, she says, lit a spark. “The Rebbe’s unconditional faith in each Jew inspired a similar faith within me. I started seeking opportunities to visit his Ohel.”
Today, Irit visits the Ohel regularly. “Each time I go, I leave with a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. As I compose my letter and recite Psalms in that sacred space, I feel empowered, filled with the strength to become the best version of myself.”
Gershon, Lisa, Layla and Irit each come from different backgrounds and have followed their own unique paths, but they all agree on one thing: The Ohel has become an essential part of their lives.
For Gershon, that connection is so strong it influences major life decisions. “I was recently on vacation in Florida,” he recalls. “And like always, someone tried to convince me to move there. I was actually considering it until I realized that if I lived in Florida, I probably wouldn’t be able to go to the Ohel every month. That alone was enough to take the idea off the table.”
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