NY Times
[...] In the nearly 20 years since the death of the rebbe, as Rabbi Schneerson
was known, what began as a spontaneous pilgrimage has evolved into a
spiritual touchstone of the religious movement he spawned, complete with
its own rituals, controversies and supplicants from all corners of the
globe.
And, perhaps in a nod to the famously sleepless city where the rebbe
lived, preached and died, his grave site is open night and day.[...]
The pilgrimage to Cambria Heights, a largely black, middle-class
neighborhood, has faced some challenges. Large celebratory crowds have
frustrated neighbors, and efforts at expansion — most recently, a
proposal for a more permanent structure than the tentlike ohel — have
been met with opposition by the local community board. The center has
made efforts to streamline parking, and in June, delivered bottles of
wine to neighbors on surrounding streets, Rabbi Refson said. The number
of visitors commemorating the rebbe’s death now tops 30,000.
I heard from rav b motzpi that Putting a note at a grave (or kotel ) doesn't do one iota... It must be read out loud.
ReplyDeleteHis funeral was only 20,000 to 35,000 depending on which newspaper, defitly not proper for one of the greatest of the generation.
ReplyDelete