Customs
At the Ohel, visitors have a tradition of writing kvitlach — prayers on small pieces of paper — which are then torn up and tossed onto the graves. In the visitor’s center, a fax machine receives over 700 faxes a day, while a computer receives 400 e-mails daily. These kvitlach are all printed and then taken to the graves, where they are torn into shreds and placed atop the graves. When the pile grows too high, the shredded notes are burned. The visitor’s center also receives many wedding invitations for the Rebbe; these invitations are read at and/or placed on the graves. In addition to kvitlach, visitors are encouraged to light memorial candles at the Ohel.
The Ohel website advises visitors to wear modest clothing, cover the head with a hat (men) or head-covering (women), and avoid wearing leather shoes. When leaving, visitors walk backwards as a sign of respect.
Read more about this topic: Ohel (Chabad)
Famous quotes containing the word customs:
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—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“If someone were to put a proposition before men bidding them choose, after examination, the best customs in the world, each nation would certainly select its own.”
—Herodotus (c. 484–424 B.C.)
“Neighboring farmers and visitors at White Sulphur drove out occasionally to watch ‘those funny Scotchmen’ with amused superiority; when one member imported clubs from Scotland, they were held for three weeks by customs officials who could not believe that any game could be played with ‘such elongated blackjacks or implements of murder.’”
—For the State of West Virginia, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)