By COLlive reporter
Former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump paid a private visit to the holiest Jewish site in North America on a day of great significance to the Jewish people.
On Monday, Trump visited the Ohel, the gravesite of the Rebbe at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York, on the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack.
Karoline Leavitt, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary, said ahead of the visit: “Today, President Trump will commemorate the first anniversary of October 7 with a visit to Ohel Chabad Lubavitch, the final resting place of Rabbi Schneerson in New York, and he will give remarks at an October 7 Remembrance Event in Florida.”
Over 1,200 Israelis were murdered by Hamas terrorists on Simchas Torah, with many more injured and 251 hostages abducted to Gaza. This attack sparked the Gaza War, which has now expanded into a regional conflict.
Trump’s visit marked the third visit by a head of state to the Ohel within a month. Recent visitors included Argentinian President Javier Milei and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, neither of whom are Jewish, like Trump.
Over the last few days, the US Secret Service has been heavily present in the vicinity of the Ohel on Francis Lewis Blvd. A special tent was set up for Trump on Monday to drive in and remain out of public view. Francis Lewis Blvd was entirely blocked off for traffic.
Snipers from the US Secret Service were stationed in the Cambria Heights neighborhood following two past assassination attempts on Trump. A Chabad official told COLlive, “This is the most security I’ve ever seen at the Ohel—even more than when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited after his unexpected election in 1996. This is a whole new level.”
A crowd gathered outside the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch Center, though those holding Trump-Vance campaign signs were not Lubavitchers.
As reported on COLlive, the Trump campaign considered a visit to the main synagogue at Lubavitch World Headquarters—770 Eastern Parkway—but ultimately ruled it out due to the large number of guests present for Tishrei.
THE VISIT
After a 3-hour delay, Trump’s motorcade arrived at 2:16 PM and drove into a covered tent at the cemetery gate at N 9th Street and Francis Lewis Blvd. He then walked down Abraham Avenue toward the Rebbe’s Ohel.
During his 20-minute visit, Trump walked through a tented walkway, flanked by Rabbi Abba Refson, Director of the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch Center.
The first person to greet him was Ben Shapiro, the renowned conservative political pundit and NYT bestselling author. An Orthodox Jew, Shapiro has close ties to Chabad and the Republican Party.
Trump met with Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch-Chabad in Washington, DC; his son Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, Director of Chabad at Georgetown University; Rabbi David Katz, Executive Director of the Israel Heritage Foundation.
Present were Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, attorney and Trump’s close advisor Boris Epshteyn.
Trump was seen listening to Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, the last living secretary of the Rebbe and Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Machne Israel, two central organizations of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Rabbi Krinsky was flanked by his son, Rabbi Shmaya Krinsky, Director of Machne Israel, and Rabbi Yirmi Berkowitz.
Noticeably missing was David Friedman, a former attorney for the Trump Organization who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel during the Trump administration. Friedman is a known admirer of the Rebbe and is close to Chabad of the Five Towns on Long Island, nearby.
As is customary at the Ohel, Trump donated a coin to a large wooden Tzedakah box before entering the Ohel, where he was seen wearing a black velvet yarmulke from iKippah.
Inside, Trump read his personal note, called a “pan” in Chassidic tradition. He then tore the note, a sign that his prayers were accepted. He was guided to place a stone on top of the Rebbe’s headstone before leaving.
Outside the Ohel, Trump spoke with Yael, Adi, and Roy Alexander whose son and brother, Edan, an American citizen, is still held captive by Hamas. Trump was photographed with them and stood with a poster of a kidnapped Israeli hostage in Gaza.
People wished Trump a Shana Tova, to which he responded, “It’s going to work out!”
All Warriors for Yisroel. May they have a גמר חתימה טובה!
Is Trump really such a warrior??
Is the ohel opened to the public??
Of course
24/7 except for shabbat.
Since when is the Ohel closed on Shabbos?
The Ohel is open on shabbos
I guess one can infer that the Ohel will be closed except for approved guests, for the duration of the visit?
Yay what a Kiddush Lubavitch!!
How is it different from Trump’s intended visit to Williamsburg? Was it a Kiddush Satmar?
Or havdala
he was going to a restaurant
That was a restaurant, this is the Rebbe
Kinda different
Oh that’s right he was just craving a knish, no connection to visiting the Jewish neighborhood of Williamsburg. Thanks for clarifying.
But We should make a kiddush Hashem, and remember that the true reason we support trump is in order to spread the name of Hashem!
..he is on the side of common sense, for the good of the nation, and of the civilized world, for peace and stopping wars, clarity and morality and G-d. The other side is for the complete opposite, destroying America, family, and society, brainwashing the minds of children so they cant even figure out who they are, and even try to change their nature with ugly medical experiments. They are for flooding America with illegals who destroy the fabric of society, and support BLM and Hamas. Trump is the soul of Esau come to redeem Edom and stand with his brother… Read more »
There is a war here that we must win, not stop. Thankfully he supports us. The current administration truly does not. What else do we have to say?
That’s funny
Mechitzas now
Send names to Trump
Meir Deren!!!!!
❤️🕺🥂
MEIRRRR
🕺🕺
May Hashem answer his prayers in revealed good ways and keep him safe from harm, b’gashmius ub’ruchnius.
And help guide him to choose the the right things to do, at the right time, in the right way.
Moshiach NOW!
Trump is a former president, hence he’s not the third head of state visiting the ohel this month
Also unmentioned is that Ivanka visited twice 2016 and 20
Exactly, the day before the elections
I pray he should win. Otherwise there will be dark times for Israel and Jews . In Europe Antisemitism is rising , and they are not even ashamed!
Apparently they don’t care about facts if the alternative sounds better
He will soon be.
The little updates are everything. Thanks for keeping us all in the loop
…of the Pres actually standing at the Ohel. Thats too bad. We are all davening for his success in overcoming the evil forces and winning.
He hasn’t arrive yet. They’re just preparing.
“Francis Lewis Blvd is fully blocked off for traffic. There are people congregating outside the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch Center. The ones holding Trump-Vance campaign signs don’t seem to be Lubavitchers.”
Thanks for the Intel collive. Great reporting
Is there a link to watch trumps visit live?
If you care about Israel then vote Trump. I can’t believe Satmar votes Democrat
Hashem is the one who appoints leaders. We should pray to Hashem, he should nominate one that will be good for Jews
No one is interested in your sinas chinam. Work on yourself first
they vote for its enemy
I thought Neturaikarta supports Palestine, not satmar. Satmar are not zionists but are pro israel ?
take the hatred out of your heart
Satmar is voting rep big time
President Trump
Thank you for paying proper respect to our Rebbe. It really hits home on October 7th. We are all looking forward to your celebrating with you on election night.
AMEIN – KEIN HEHI RATZON!
Thank you for coming President Trump.
Praying for you.
May Hashem answer your prayers.
With the spiritual support of the Rebbe, Trump has a greater chance of winning the election! 🙏🇮🇱🔯🙏
I hope Trump was inspired at the Ohel that this time around he succeeds in nationalizing school choice and vouchers. And from a federal level amend the tax code that tuition payments to private schools come from pre-tax dollars.
Visiting the Ohel should help Trump win the election! 🙏🔯🇮🇱🙏
TRUMP 2024!!!! thank you Prez Trump for coming to the Rebbe mhm
(we need more videos) Thank to Ben Shapiro for coming to the Rebbe mhm,
We live in a very small apartment, with a large family
Sure sure
His policies will help you buy a house First of all, crime will disappear and the manufacturing jobs will come back, opening up lots of places that are currently abandoned. The cost of policing will also be drastically reduced without the repeat criminals draining the resources. They will stay in jail where they belong. If he succeeds at cleaning up the waste and corruption in government then your dollar value will go up immeasurably, allowing you to purchase a lot more for less $. In addition he’s advocating for universal school choice where the $ follows the child not allocated… Read more »
If he becomes president all the illegals will be sent back home.
Housing costs will go way down and become available
Wow
Best president ever
Great look
I hope he loses, but if he wins—and it depends only on what Hashem wants—he should have siyata dshmaya to do the right things.
Don’t know what planet you fell from
But if you care about siata dishmaya vote Trump.
He acknowledged Hashem multiple times as opposed to the machsheifa you currently worship
People Like you deify Trump and worship him like a god
יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד
do you see any “deifying” in his post? On the contrary, your side calls your candidate the “daughter of G-d.”
Actually not
I appreciate his policies
What good has Kamala done?
It is you that blindly worship her
She has no substance or achievements
And is incoherent. How can she be qualified to negotiate with Putin and Xi?
If the camel wins you can expect shortages and bread lines and no private property.
Like in all successful communist countries.
Don’t think it can happen here?
Be careful what you wish for, because you may lose all that you already have
G-D Bless him!! hes the only one your allowed to vote for
This is a huge shame for Lubavitch, we should be voting and supporting candidates who actually back-up morals and values and the things the torah commands. Harris should be getting our support
Harris backs hammas
Perhaps refresh your Torah knowledge.
Torah values human life.
Harris woman Lehavdil does not.
Hope you’ve learnt something new, have a nice day.
you REALLY think Harris supports morals and values??? You are obviously uninformed.
You must be one of the many trolls that visit this website.
I can see many faults in him but Harris has very few virtues, and would be a severe threat to the Jewish people.
I wanted to vote for a woman as a democrat but Trump is good to israel and the jews and smart and a leader while kamala is an extreme liberal pro palestine pro all the liberal progressive movements that are messing up innocent kids childhoods.
Kamala spells out Amalek in Hebrew
The Rebbe’s Mazkir has to go through security to be by the Rebbe. We should be ashamed of ourselves, the Rebbe is not a photo op.
The stakes are high and couldn’t be more stark in this election.
Hashem help us and save us from a communist revolution
KER A VELT ! Heint. Didan notzach
May G-d protect you and heal the world.
נשיא דונלד טראמפ = תשפ״ה
Fact check true. Cute
Unpresedent, once connected to Kedusha, the rest it’s all from The Above
A Gmar Chatima Tovah
The key question: did he ask for blessing in the election?
I hope he eat a Cooke
He didn’t go inside the guest house. Would have been nice if he had, as there was a small group of people who had all passed through security checks, and who wanted to greet him. Security was extremely tight.
Does Ben Shapiro know that he has strong ties with lubavitch? He seems not to know that.
Why do you have to make this all about lubavitch? You don’t gain any extra points unless it’s in 770, and outside of there nobody really cares.
TELL THE TRUTH MORE OFTEN.
Points? The Rebbe’s Ohel is an iconic Lubavitch site. Only those who are ignorant don’t know that.
and also pointing out that 2 bochurim holding a trump sign seemed to not be lubavitch.
Trumps wearing a blue suit he should get the blue velvet yarmulke
whereas Vance got the Blue velvet & hes wearing a black suit! Chaval
“He tore the note, a sign that his prayers were accepted.”
?
he just won over most of Chabad besides for the few dumb stragglers
who knows nothing about Israel and how good he was for us
weve all been supporting him from the beg.
He is the one who came publicly to the Jewish community on October 7!
Where others? Why we don’t hear any speeches to support our community?
Mazal tov Donald John ben Fred on your “chasidishe yom holedes”
!לחיים
Seems they didn’t want trump to see beyond the tent do he doesn’t have to face all the Jews that will be voting for Kamala from their graves
What impresses me is the quantity and quality of Yidden with whom Mr Trump had meaningful conversations. He did a lot of listening and presumably learned some things and increased his rapport and feel for the situation.