Rockland County, NY – Tens of Thousands are expected to travel to the Vizhnitzer cemetery in Spring Valley on Sunday to mark the 22nd yahrtzeit of Rav Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz, the Ribnitzer Rebbe zt’l.

Renowned in his lifetime as a tremendous miracle worker, the Ribnitzer Rebbe lived under tremendously difficult circumstances in Communist Russia, defying authorities by serving as a mohel, shochet and chazan for years, as previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2xGrKU0). Despite being interrogated, jailed and even put in front of a firing squad, he miraculously managed to escape and even KGB officers were known to bring their family members to the Ribnitzer Rebbe for brachos.

While many left Russia hoping to live better lives outside the Iron Curtain, the Ribnitzer stayed until the mid 1970s, spending a year in Israel before moving to the United States where he eventually settled in Monsey.

He was known to tell people that he could see from one end of the world to the other and the stories of miracles brought about through his blessings abound. Orphaned by his own father as a toddler, the Ribnitzer had no children of their own.

The Ribnitzer passed away on Isru Chag Succos in 1995. While there are those who believed the Rebbe to have been 93 years old when he passed away, singer Mordechai Ben David, who was extremely close with the Ribnitzer, put the Rebbe’s age at 102 years old at the time of his passing.

Years after his death, loyal followers continue to pay their respects to the Ribnitzer, whose tzion is the most visited grave site in the United States, second only to the late Lubavticher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt’l.

A white wool yarmulka worn that had been worn extensively by the Ribnitzer Rebbe sold for $10,455 at a 2014 auction held by the Kedem auction house in Israel. His grave continues to attract throngs of followers, particularly on erev rosh chodesh, although visitors can be seen praying at the Ribnitzer’s tzion on Route 306 at almost any time of day or night.

Haaretz (http://bit.ly/2xGLbfn) reported that Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman made a lengthy detour during a 2012 visit to Washington, stopping in New York to spend a few minutes praying at the Ribnitzer Rebbe’s grave. The brief visit was not the first for Lieberman, who was born in the Ribnitzer’s home town of Moldova and received a blessing from the Rebbe at his bar mitzvah.

In recent months, a large section of the Vizhnitzer cemetery has been paved to create a parking lot to accommodate those who come to pray at the Ribnitzer Rebbe’s grave, with security guards on hand during peak visiting times to manage the crowds who arrive by car, by taxi and by the busload.

A traffic advisory issued by the Ramapo Police Department this past Friday advised travelers to use alternate routes on Sunday due to expected heavy traffic conditions in the area of Route 306 and Mariner Way between 2 and 10 PM.

Those who want to learn ‘Mishnayos’ the name is Chaim Zanvil Ben Moshe.

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