Thousands of Hasidic Jews from all over the world made a pilgrimage to Cambria Heights this past week to visit the resting place of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, also known as the “Rebbe,” on the 29th anniversary of his death.
The Rebbe, often considered the most influential rabbi in modern history, is remembered by both Jews and non-Jews as a leader with a global vision of making the world a kinder place. His burial site, known as the Ohel, is located at the Montefiore Cemetery on Francis Lewis Boulevard, which welcomes visitors year round.
“Around 400,000 people visit every year from all walks of life: Jews, non-Jews, religious, secular,” said Rabbi Moshe New, a media relations associate for chabad.org. “It’s just a place to connect, pray, and just step back for a moment to look at the Rebbe’s teaching and what he stood for.”
Born in Mykolaiv, Ukraine in 1902, Schneerson arrived in the United States in 1941 to escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Schneerson assumed leadership as the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in 1950 after the passing of his father-in-law Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe.
Inspired by his leadership and dedication to education, President Jimmy Carter designated the Rebbe’s birthday, April 18, as “Education Day U.S.A.,” a day dedicated to educational awareness recognized every year since 1978.
During his lifetime, the Rebbe’s influence spread throughout the world, inspiring a post-Holocaust renaissance for Judaism. His teachings inspired everyone from rabbis and religious leaders to elected officials, celebrities and lay people, who all looked to him for counsel until he died on June 12, 1994.
While the Rebbe died on June 12, the Jewish calendar often differs, placing the anniversary of his passing on June 22, 2023, or the third of the Jewish month of Tammuz, also known as Gimmel Tammuz. Per the Jewish calendar, visitors began to show up at the burial site this past Wednesday, June 21, as the…
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