Extensive preparations are underway at Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch to accommodate the 100,000 visitors who will visit the Rebbe’s Ohel on Gimmel Tammuz. The new and expanded layout is presented here to ease the experience for all visitors.

Extensive preparations are underway at Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch, under the leadership of Rabbi Aba Refson, to accommodate the estimated 100,000 who will visit the Rebbe’s Ohel on Gimmel Tammuz.

After months of planning and coordination with Agudas Chassidei Chabad, a new and expanded layout has been arranged to ease the experience for all visitors.

The New Gimmel Tammuz Setup Includes:

1. Men’s Entrance Route:
   Bochurim, yungeleit, and boys will enter from the main gate of the Montefiore Cemetery on Francis Lewis Boulevard. The entire path will be covered with air-conditioned tents, benches for rest, cold drinks, and videos of the Rebbe.
2. Women’s Entrance Route:
   Women and girls will enter through a designated entrance located behind the reception desk, at the first tent in the courtyard of the Chabad House and Visitors’ Center (the first building on site).
3. Inside the Ohel:
   Throughout the 24 hours of Gimmel Tammuz, the visit inside the Rebbe’s Ohel will follow a continuous, flowing line, with no stopping permitted—similar to how the Rebbe distributed dollars and kuntreisim. Maaneh Lashon and other tefillos should be said while waiting in line outside.
4. New Exit Route:
   A new exit doorway has been created in the northern wall of the Ohel. Visitors will exit there and follow one of two marked paths. At the end of each path, facilities will be available for netilas yodayim, hot and cold drinks, fresh sandwiches, fruit, and mezonos.

A clear map in both Hebrew and English has been published to assist visitors with the new setup.

Guidance for Kohanim:

To ensure that kohanim can visit the Ohel in accordance with halacha, Rabbi Yosef Yeshaya Braun, rov and mara d’asra of Crown Heights, personally inspected the layout in detail. He reviewed the new entrance and exit paths with special attention to the halachic parameters for kohanim entering the cemetery grounds. Rabbi Braun gave his full haskamah, confirming that the routes are fully permissible even for those who follow stringent opinions.

A summary of the psak din is available here.

Shabbos Gimmel Tammuz

With thousands expected to arrive already on Friday, ahead of the yom hilula, a full Shabbos infrastructure has been arranged to accommodate guests:

1. Davening and Learning:
   The tents behind the first row of houses near the cemetery will be designated for Shabbos tefillos, Chassidus study, and sichos kodesh. The main minyan for Shabbos davening—Friday night and Shabbos day—will take place near the Ohel, along with additional minyonim and Torah readings in the surrounding tents, to allow aliyos as customary.
2. Shabbos Seudos:
   A large air-conditioned tent has been set up for Shabbos meals at the nearby school campus. To reach it, exit the Ohel and turn right onto Francis Lewis Boulevard; it’s a brief five-minute walk. Clear signage and 24-hour security will be in place.
3. Sleeping Accommodations:
   A separate air-conditioned tent has been designated for sleeping, for those who reserved in advance through the official registration site. This area is located in the park across Francis Lewis Boulevard. To reach it, exit the Ohel and turn left for a short five-minute walk. Signage and round-the-clock security will be provided there as well.