The wait for the Rebbe's Ohel at one point on 3 Tammuz was 4 hours, leading to a suggestion to streamline the crowd.
By COLlive reporter
Photos by Bentzi Sasson
"Thousands of people are arriving at the New York City grave of a revered New York City rabbi to mark the 19th anniversary of his death," the Associated Press reported on Tuesday morning.
The news agency said the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson OBM "was credited with reinvigorating a decimated community after the Holocaust and building a movement that promotes observant Judaism around the world."
"Lubavitch Jews and other admirers of Schneerson are expected to visit his gravesite in Cambria Heights, Queens from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday."
In reality, the Gimmel Tammuz pilgrimage began earlier than that and ended much later. While Tuesday had better weather than the heavy rain on Monday night, it was the long wait that kept people on their feet.
At one point later in the day, when many had ended their work day, visitors reported a record 4-hour wait in the line extending out of the cemetery and down Francis Lewis Blvd.
The procedure is that visitors are asked to pray and read from the Maana Lashon booklet, which was composed for visiting the holy gravesites of the Chabad Rebbes, while on line.
Once nearing the Ohel, leather shoes are removed and people enter the open space around the Rebbe and the Frierdiker Rebbe's graves until it is full. They are permitted 2 minutes inside to read their "pan" personal letter to the Rebbe, tear it, and then leave.
Once the Ohel empties, another batch is allowed in. The groups switch off between men and women. But with some insisting on remaining longer near the Rebbe or trying to remain another minute or two inside sometimes delays the procedure.
One bochur has suggested another option, similar to when people would walk by the Rebbe at 770 Eastern Parkway or his home on President Street to receive a blessing and dollar for charity.
"Why can't there be a constant walk through the Ohel on days like this?" he wondered. "People will read the 'pan' on their way in and walk the full circle with enough time to tear the 'pan' and drop it in."
He estimated walking through, instead of a full switch of groups, could be done only during congested time. "People would rather daven a little, but they would also appreciate not waiting for so long."
Rabbi Abba Refson, Director of Ohel Chabad Lubavitch who coordinates the activities there, was not available for comment.
