Israeli Tourists Flock to Lubavitcher Rebbe's Sites in New York

Tens of thousands of Israeli tourists and Jewish visitors from around the world are increasingly incorporating visits to the Lubavitcher Rebbe's "Ohel" (grave site) in Queens and the Chabad World Center, known as "770," in Brooklyn into their New York City itineraries. This trend, particularly noticeable during the summer vacation season, sees families, couples, organized groups, and business people adding these spiritual stops alongside traditional tourist attractions like the Empire State Building and Times Square.

The initiative to encourage these visits is spearheaded by the youth wing of Agudat Chabad in Israel, which has launched a campaign through its global network of emissaries to inspire Israelis to experience moments of holiness during their travels. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Neumann, a Chabad emissary to the Israeli diplomatic community in New York, coordinates these efforts for visitors from Israel.

The "770" building in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, served as the operational center for the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, for decades. From this location, he directed the international expansion of the Chabad movement. Today, the building functions as an active synagogue and spiritual center, offering guided tours in Hebrew that explore the Rebbe's personal room, the main prayer hall, the study hall, the broadcast room, and a historical exhibition.

The Rebbe's Ohel, located in the Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, is accessible 24 hours a day and has become a pilgrimage site for thousands of visitors. A common practice there is writing a personal letter, known as a "pidyon nefesh," with requests and prayers, reading it at the grave, and leaving it behind, often accompanied by lighting a candle.

While summer brings a casual flow of tourists, the Crown Heights neighborhood anticipates a much larger influx during the Jewish High Holidays in Tishrei. Estimates suggest tens of thousands of Chabad followers and yeshiva students from across the globe will converge on the area to spend the holiday season near the movement's center, transforming the streets around "770" into a major gathering point. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Ahronov, chairman of Agudat Chabad, stated that the Rebbe's enduring influence on the Jewish world is evident in the significant response to visits at the Ohel and "770."