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The Ohel
Write a letter to the Rebbe
For generations people have written to the Rebbe — for a blessing, for guidance, for a decision that would not come, or simply to say thank you. They still do, every day, from everywhere. You can write one now, and it will be at the Ohel tonight.
Nobody reads it
Your letter is sent directly to the Ohel in Queens, New York. There it is printed automatically and taken in with the letters that arrive from all over the world every day.
It is not opened here. It is not read there. It is not filed, forwarded, quoted or kept. You will get one email confirming that it went, and that is the last you will hear about it from anybody.
Write accordingly. About the Rebbe
Before you write
- Your name, and your Hebrew name and your mother’s Hebrew name if you know them. The English name is fine.
- Whatever you want to say, in your own words. There is no formula.
- A working email address, so you get the one confirmation that it went.
Questions people ask
Who reads my letter?
Nobody. It is sent straight to the Ohel, where it is printed automatically and taken in with the thousands that arrive from all over the world. Nobody at Chabad of Silicon Valley opens it and nobody at the Ohel reads it. That is not a courtesy — it is how this has always worked, and it is exactly why people write the things they write.
What is the Ohel?
The resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in Queens, New York. It is open around the clock and people come from everywhere to pray there. Letters are placed there, and have been continuously for decades.
What do I write?
Whatever it is. A request for a blessing, a decision you cannot make, someone who is ill, a marriage, a child, a business, gratitude. There is no formula and no correct opening. Many people include their Hebrew name and their mother’s Hebrew name, which is the traditional form, but a letter without them is a letter all the same.
Do I have to be Jewish, or observant?
No, and no. People of every background write, and always have.
How often can I write?
As often as you like. There is no limit and nobody is counting.
Will I be added to a mailing list?
No. Your email address is used to confirm that your letter went, and for nothing else.
The RebbeWho he was, and why a letter still goes to Queens.A name for prayerFor healing, or at a hard moment. This one does reach the Rabbi.Ask Rabbi MendelWhen you want an actual answer from an actual person.Or call408-910-2034 — at any hour.