“The Ohel” in Rostov, is where the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom DovBer, of righteous memory, was laid to rest on the 2nd of Nissan 1920.

The term Ohel (lit. “tent”) refers to the structure built over the resting place of a Tzaddik, a righteous person.

Throughout the year many people visit the Ohel to pray and beseech the Rebbe to intervene on their behalf.

Our sages tell us that praying at the burial place of the righteous is a Jewish tradition dating back to Joseph who solicited his mother’s intervention on his behalf when he passed her grave on his way down to Egypt.

If you are interested in visiting the Ohel and would like help coordinating your visit, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneerson (1860-1920)
The 5th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch (Courtesy of Chabad.org)

The fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn (”Rashab”), was born in the White Russian town of Lubavitch in 1860. After the passing of his father, Rabbi Shmuel (in 1882), he assumed the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch.

Famed for his phenomenal mind and analytical treatment of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Sholom DovBer wrote and delivered some 2,000 maamarim (discourses of Chassidic teaching) over the 38 years of his leadership. In 1897, he established the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah, the first institution of Jewish learning to combine the study of the “body” of Torah (Talmudic and legal studies) with its mystical “soul” (the teachings of Chassidism); it was this unique yeshivah that produced the army of learned, inspired and devoted Chassidim who, in the decades to come, would literally give their lives to keep Judaism alive under Soviet rule.

In 1915, Rabbi Sholom DovBer was forced to flee Lubavitch from the advancing WWI front and relocated to the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. In his final years, he began the heroic battle against the new Communist regime’s efforts to destroy the Jewish faith throughout the Soviet Union.

Rabbi Sholom DovBer passed away in Rostov on the 2nd of Nissan, 1920. His last words were: “I’m going to heaven; I leave you the writings.”

Panim (Letters for Blessing)

Letters for blessing (Panim) can be sent by fax to: +7-863-262-41-19 or e-mailed to Rabbi@JewishRostov.com. Letters will be brought to the ohel once a week.