Major changes are coming to the Ohel this year for Gimmel Tammuz, including a new women’s entrance from the tent, a new door carved into the stone of the Ohel, and a new “quick-passing” format to improve accessibility at the Ohel.
By Anash.org reporter
With thousands of chassidim expected to arrive from around the world for Gimmel Tammuz, major changes are being implemented that will dramatically reshape the physical structure of the Ohel, introduce a new entrance for women, and streamline crowd control measures to improve the experience for all. These updates are the result of extensive planning and collaboration among key organizations and are set to significantly enhance accessibility and comfort during the 24-hour period.
To accommodate more visitors and avoid long, stagnant lines, a new “quick-passing” format has been introduced. Visitors will enter through the existing right-side door and proceed directly through the Ohel without pausing for extended moments, exiting immediately afterward through a newly constructed door. Many have noted that this format closely resembles the experience of receiving dollars from the Rebbe, where each person had only a brief moment before continuing onward.
The most significant structural change is the addition of a new door carved directly into the stone of the Ohel, located by the room where the candles are lit. This door will be opened exclusively for Gimmel Tammuz and will remain sealed throughout the rest of the year.
In a notable enhancement to the setup at the Ohel, a new entrance has been created for women behind the reception desk in the tent, from which the women’s line will now begin. A separate exit has also been added behind the first tent, adjacent to the reception and information area. This provides a shortened and entirely separate route for women and girls, designed to operate throughout the 24-hour period.
These changes are expected to significantly reduce wait times, ease congestion, and provide more comfortable access for women of all ages and circumstances. At the same time, they will expand the capacity of the route designated for men, bochurim, and children, which will follow a separate path.
The initiative is being coordinated by the director of Chabad at the Ohel, Rabbi Abba Refson, in close partnership with the cemetery administration, Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch, and Agudas Chassidei Chabad.
I am a kohen. how is this supposed to work? not mentioned in article.
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It’s about time that there should be separate entrances for men and women.
It’s silly to point to how the ohel was before Gimmel Tammuz since there weren’t crowds of men and women visiting the ohel.
The Rebbe was incredibly strict when it came to mechitza, and it’s only write to uphold the Rebbe’s standard at his own ohel.
without giving an opinion on the actual question, just want to point out that the Rebbe’s position on mechitza etc is very nuanced.
on one hand the Rebbe is very strict about mechitzos in shuls etc and even instructing that the kfar chabad seminary should be in kfar chabad beis, not kc proper, due to the yeshiva.
on the other hand, the Rebbe did not shy away from having women appear in public forums where men and bochurim were by design. some examples:
yechidus klolis had 2 tables lined in between the men and women with no full height mechitza (when yechidus klolis was in the Rebbe’s room it was even tighter vdal), oftentimes being an hour long sicha.
dollars in shul downstairs, where bochurim were during the preceding davening (by kuntreisim, the shul was emptied, but not regular dollars), and especially when chassanim and kalos and family would come in, and everyone would sing etc etc.
rallies, when madrichos would come up to the front to get coins from the Rebbe, and in general, after mincha the mechitza was taken down and wasnt a very large separation, especially in the walkways.
lag baomer parades, marching down the street.
purim koton 5738 was a צאתכם לשלום for the shluchim the Rebbe was sending to EY, and the Rebbe specifically asked for the young wives of the shluchim to come down to the farbrengen to get dollars etc from the Rebbe, and this by design includes them somehow getting into the shul and up to the Rebbe while the whole crowd is watching.
again, not weighing in on the specific discussion, but felt that this is relevant, and those who do have an opinion should have the relevant information
All the examples you mention are temporary situations, not fixed arrangements.
Besides, the Rebbe did object to men remaining to watch the chaluka to women.
all these stuff weren’t mixed, this in a small skinny 2 ft walkway your pushing together men and woman in the heat of summer….
there is a clear Psak from the Rabonim that there needs to be a Mechitza
the Ohel is a place of tefila so there should be a mechitza see https://asktherav.com/19276-do-women-also-lift-up-their-hands-when-saying-the-maneh-lashon-also-maybe-there-should-be-a-mechitza-at-the-ohel/
Find one place where they are קברי צדיקים That has no separation from men and women by the ohel and the tent especially when you hundreds and thousands people through out the year היפך הצניעות היפך הלכה ans also hold backs thousands of yiden of coming to the Rebbe
everyone is trying to do hafatzos hamayanos spending so much money etc, here for just making another door (by the 3rd tent) just for men you can bring thousands and thousands to the rebbe! what can be a bigger zchus?
Yes it’s some solution, but having engagements with mix men and women and standing in front of holy ohel standing 20 people taking pictures and clapping when the chosen kalla walk out is unheard and not being sensitive which ד אמות we are standing this not only about הפצה this a lack צניעות and especially in such a holy place.
https://col.org.il/news/62146
Here is pesak where there’s alot רבנים that a מחיצה has to go by the ohel
why is this new door by the tent less then 10 ft away of the old door? this still creats loots of crown pushing etc (forget about the mechitza issue) why cant the men just continue straight on the road (toward the licht) and continue till the 3rd tent and make a door there? there is plenty of empty spaces there to make a extra wide walkway…