Feelings of Hiskashrus Imbue Alma Ata Visit

Guests from across the globe have spent the auspicious day of Chof Av davening, learning and farbrenging near the holy tziyun of the Rebbe’s father Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan.

Photos: Mendy Kotlyar

Guests from across the globe have spent the auspicious day of Chof Av davening, learning and farbrenging near the holy tziyun of the Rebbe’s father Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan.

This year, the yahrzeit was observed by hundreds of Shluchim and Anash who gathered at the tziyun on Monday to read a pan and daven on behalf of themselves, their families, and all Chassidim worldwide.

The Rebbe showed great affinity for those who visited the kevarim of his family members. Although for much of the Rebbe’s nesius it was virtually impossible to travel to Alma Ata, once the Iron Curtain collapsed such visits became possible.

In the winter of 5739 (1978–1979), when someone gave the Rebbe a photo of his father’s resting place, the Rebbe cherished the picture to such an extent that he wrote on the back in ksav yad kodsho, “Alma Ata – choref 5739.”

In the summer of 5751 (1991), the shluchim in Europe gathered for a regional kinus during which they traveled to the ohalim of the Rebbeim in Russia and Ukraine, which had been all but inaccessible until that point.

When being told that the itinerary included a visit to Alma Ata on Chof Av, the Rebbe instructed that the group remain there for the entire day, to enable them to daven all three of the daily tefillos at his father’s resting place.