If the reason you are going to Alma Ata is for the Rebbe’s fathers stature and how great he was then you missed the point completely. As Lubavitchers our connection to the Rebbe’s family is that anything dear to the Rebbe is dear to us and since the rebbe showed how much his family was dear by chof av to many individuals by chof beis shevat to all Chasidim etc… it became is something dear to us that we care about no matter how big of a tzaddik or tzadekes the person was.

But either way, why compare?

yud gimmel iyar can be added to this list, i think by now its safe to say that there are more people chof av in alma atta than 13 iyar in tzfas, which also has very clear answers from the Rebbe appreciating when people went, i havent yet heard of a trend to fly from ny to go there, and i wonder why…

https://anash.org/attempted-attack-in-almaty-over-shabbos-chof-av-thwarted/

The line “Rashbi is at the Ohel” was the Rebbe’s specific hora’ah for Lag BaOmer—not a blanket rule to prefer the Ohel over every other tziyun, and certainly not a directive about Chof Av. See the sicha to the Tzfas guests (5750) and the directive that those near the Ohel should go there on Lag BaOmer. 

By contrast, we have clear evidence of the Rebbe’s extraordinary appreciation for kavod shown to his father’s tziyun in Alma-Ata—including public brachos to those who cared for it and stories of personal gratitude for renovations. That’s not the tone of “don’t go.” 

Halachically and historically, going to a parent’s kever on a yahrtzeit is a mainstream minhag (kever avot). Honoring the Rebbe’s father at his resting place squarely fits that norm. 

The “affluent trend” claim doesn’t hold up. Communal arrangements and even subsidized trips have made Alma-Ata broadly accessible; in recent years there’ve been pan kloli readings and record crowds across Anash, shluchim, and mekuravim.

So if you’re within reach of 770/Ohel—beautiful. But portraying Alma-Ata on Chof Av as “leaving where a Chossid truly belongs” isn’t sourced in the Rebbe’s words and ignores his visible nachas from activity at his father’s tziyun. Both paths are legitimate avenues of kibbud av and hiskashrus. 

he says “seems misplaced” and not that its wrong. what are you reading different?

Title says it all

– Expressing opinions is not controversial
– The story of Reb Berel Junik’s plans to visit kevorim in Europe contains the lesson for here.
– 770 and Ohel are daled amos of nossi doreynu, reb levik was a big tzadik, but wasn’t nosi hador
– This initiative is to bring in money and tourism, and mostly rich people go and boost the economy. Money should be spent on Tzedaka, chinuch and family first.
– All these concepts weren’t a big thing before gimmel tammuz, because it was without question that they would go to the Rebbe.
– You argue Reb levi yitzchak is lonely, compared to Meron. I can assure you he is in Gan Eden with Avraham Ovenu, Moshe rabeynu etc.

•Very controversial article.

• I believe that the Rebbe had allot of Nachas when people reported that they went to Alma Ata.

• Visiting 770 and the Ohel have allot of significance and holiness etc.

• If someone doesn’t have the funds and will need to take a mortgage on his house, I don’t know if he should go. The same may apply if his family and children need his presence for physical health or mental well-being.

• I am interested to know if the idea of the masses going to Alma Ata is a new initiative or it existed before Gimmel Tammuz, and I wonder what the Rebbe would say about it.

• With all due respect, the comparison of going to Alma Ata and going to Rashbi ARE 100% NON-COMPARABLE:
The reason why people go to Rashbi is to be close to Rashbi. The Rash i isn’t alone in Golus, there are 6 million Jews in driving distance.

Contrary to this is going to Alma Ata to visit A Tzadik that is buried in a remote area away from a populated Jewish comunity (especially 35 years ago).

Hatzlacha.