By COLlive reporter
Almaty isn’t a famous tourist destination. For Lubavitchers, there aren’t many reasons for them to travel to this distant city in Kazakhstan, other than to honor the father of the Rebbe.
This coming month, hundreds of Chabad chassidim and Yeshiva bochurim will be taking several flights and spending hours en route to reaching the Ohel of Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, one of the greatest Talmudic and Kabbalistic scholars of his generation.
Reb Levi Yitzchok served as the chief rabbi of Yekaterinoslav (today Dnipro in Ukraine) and fearlessly sacrificed his life to preserve Jewish life during the bloody Bolshevik revolution and oppressive Communist regime.
If in the past travel to the historic Jewish cemetery in Almaty was challenging, in recent years, visitation became possible and seamless. A full Hachnosas Orchim operation has been set up to provide visitors with a suitable experience both physically and spiritually.
For this year’s yartzeit on Thursday, 20th of Av 5781 (July 29, 2021), visitors will be provided to a full and rich program with minyanim, shiurim and lectures focusing on the esoteric teachings of Reb Levi Yitzchok.
The Ohel will be open over the 24 hours of the yartzeit for davening and reciting Tehillim. At a nearby tent, drinks and refreshments will be provided along with seating for writing a personal ‘pan’ note for blessing.
The organizing committee will also be coordinating transportation from the airport (a 20-minute drive) to the hotels, the Jewish cemetery and Reb Levi Yitzchok’s Ohel (15-minute ride), the Chabad House, Mikvah and to the conference center for the grand farbrengen.
Leading the shiurim and farbrengens will be renowned rabbonim, mashpiim and Shluchim who will be inspiring fellow chassidim with words of Torah and Chassidus.
For the Shabbos of the yartzeit, a Kinus Hashluchim will be held for Shluchim in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It will be a historic gathering for those leading Jewish communities in the locations that the Harav Levi Yitzchok sacrificed his life.
To register, visit ChofAv.com
