The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, passed away on the third of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, 5754, corresponding to June 12, 1994. As the 19th anniversary of that date approaches, Jewish communities around the world have been preparing to commemorate his yahrtzeit, which begins at sunset on Monday, June 10.

Tens of thousands of people have been arriving from the United States and other countries to visit the Rebbe’s resting place, known as “the Ohel,” at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, N.Y. Many arrive straight from the airport with luggage still in hand. Inspired by the auspiciousness of the day, they have been waiting patiently in line for hours to deliver their hand-written requests for blessings, and to internalize the Rebbe’s devotion to G?d, the Torah and the Jewish people.

A wealth of information about the anniversary of the Rebbe’s life and teachings can be found at the Chabad.org mini-site on Gimmel Tammuz devoted to the yahrtzeit, as well as at TheRebbe.org, which contains first-person accounts by Jewish and political leaders, recordings of some of the Rebbe’s many public addresses and scholarly explanations of the Rebbe’s teachings.