Joyous Ceremony Rededicates Home of Rebbe Rashab

The building in Rostov, Russia, which served as the home of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe and as the headquarters of Chabad Chassidus for a number of years was rededicated on Thursday, ahead of Chof Cheshvan, with a joyous ceremony.

By Anash.org reporter

The building in Rostov, Russia, which served as the home of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe and as the headquarters of Chabad Chassidus for a number of years was rededicated on Thursday, ahead of Chof Cheshvan, with a joyous ceremony.

The house, which served as the headquarters of Chabad after the Rebbe Rashab left the town of Lubavitch, became an apartment building during the communist years. In the late 5750s, it was redeemed by Agudas Chassidei Chabad of Russia, headed by Rabbi Yitzchok Kogen ‘the Tzadik of Leningrad’.

In recent months, the house, which had begun showing signs of aging, underwent extensive renovations. The renovations, undertaken in honor of the 100-year anniversary since the Rebbe Rashab’s passing, breathed new life into the entire building, including the yechidus room, kitchen, living rooms and the mikvah that was built under the direct guidance of the Rebbe Rashab.

Sources told Anash.org that future plans for the building may include reopening a Yeshiva in the building, which had hosted a yeshiva both when the Frierdiker Rebbe lived there, as well as for a number of years following its repurchase by Chabad.

For the visitors to Rostov, the day began with Shacharis in the Chabad House in the center of the city, lead by shliach Rabbi Chaim Danziger. They then continued on to the Jewish cemetery to daven at the Ohel of the Rebbe Rashab.

The official ceremony, which was broadcast live around Russia, began late Thursday afternoon. Starting off the broadcast was greetings from Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, followed by other speakers.

In Rostov itself, a small crowd gathered for the conclusion of a new Sefer Torah. The participants continued with the new Torah in the room that had served, and continues to serve, as the ‘Zal’, where they held hakafos.

Following the hakafos, they continued on to the room that had served as the Rebbe Rashab’s yechidus room, where they held a farbrengen to mark his upcoming 160th birthday on Chof Cheshvan.