Mezhibuzh is the cradle of the Chassidic movement. The Baal Shem Tov and his holy disciples walked its streets, prayed in its forests, and held court in one of its synagogues.

In the 1960s, Rabbi Moses Josef Rubin and other Geder Avos activists successfully lobbied to prevent the destruction of the Mezhibuzh cemetery, which includes the resting place of the Baal Shem Tov and several of his closest disciples. More recently, Oholei Tzadikim Association, headed by Rabbi Israel Meir Gabay, developed a nearby complex known as Kiryat HaBaal Shem Tov. Geder Avos is proud to actively support the maintenance of this flagship Chassidic site.

Today’s visitor will find a magnificent Ohel standing over the resting place of the Baal Shem Tov. Nearby are beautifully-appointed guest houses able to accommodate the hundreds of regular visitors to the site who spend Shabbos there. Nearby stands an exact replica of the original shul in which the Baal Shem Tov davened.

In recent years, Oholei Tzadikim and Geder Avos fenced the older of Mezhibuzh’s two cemeteries and partially fenced the newer one.

In 2020, Oholei Tzadikim, with the support of Geder Avos, has begun a massive renovation of the Ohel of the Baal Shem Tov.

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