Thousands of visitors travel to Lubavitch each year to pray at the Ohel of the Rebbeim, walk the grounds of the restored cemetery, and connect with the physical place at the heart of Chabad history. The site is open to all who come with respect.
Lyubavichi is a village in the Rudnyansky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, approximately 55 km northeast of Smolensk city. Coordinates: 54°50′06″N, 30°57′23″E.
The nearest major city is Smolensk, which is accessible by train from Moscow (approximately 4 hours) and other Russian cities.
From Smolensk, Lubavitch is approximately a 1–1.5 hour drive by road. Many visitors arrive as part of organized group tours coordinated through Chabad channels or through Rabbi Gavriel Gordon’s office directly.
Individual travelers should contact the project team in advance to coordinate access, as some areas require guide accompaniment.
The primary destination for most visitors. The Ohel covers the resting places of the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe Maharash. Prayer, recitation of Tehillim, and quiet reflection are the appropriate activities. The adjacent Akeda Shul is available for minyanim and learning.
The restored cemetery, spanning approximately 70 by 150 meters, can be visited to pay respects at the graves of Rebbeim, Rebbetzins, and community members. The complete burial database is available to help visitors locate specific graves of ancestors or historical figures.
A guest house and small museum that provides accommodation for visitors and context for the history of Chabad in Lubavitch. Maps, photographs, and historical materials help visitors understand the significance of the sites around them.
The information center "Hatzer Raboteinu Nesieinu Belubavitch" is located on the historic site of the Rebbe’s courtyard and documents 102 years of Chabad leadership in Lubavitch through maps, photographs, and artifacts.
Walking the streets and paths of Lubavitch — following the route from the village center to the cemetery, seeing the forest and river landscape that has barely changed since the 19th century — is a meaningful experience in itself.
The recently rebuilt synagogue beside the Ohel is available for prayer and study. Groups who coordinate in advance can arrange a minyan, shiurim, and guided explanation of the shul’s remarkable history — including the last Maamar spoken in Russia in 1922.
Whether you are coming as an individual, a family, or a large group — whether for prayer, genealogical research, historical study, or spiritual pilgrimage — please contact the project team in advance. Rabbi Gavriel Gordon and the local team welcome visitors and can help arrange access, accommodation, and guidance.
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