Editing The Holocaust (section)

== The Frierdiker Rebbe During the Holocaust ==
In 5693 (1933), the Frierdiker Rebbe moved from Riga to Warsaw, Poland, and in 5695 (1935), due to his health condition and doctors' advice, he moved to the town of Otwock where Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim was located.

In Elul 5699 (1939), several days after the outbreak of World War II and the Nazi invasion of Poland, he left Otwock and went to Warsaw, where he had to flee from house to house due to German bombardments. After the Nazis conquered Warsaw, he stayed in the home of the chassid Rabbi Yechiel Tzvi Gourary.

During this period, false reports circulated that the Nazis had captured and executed the Frierdiker Rebbe. When the mistake was discovered, retraction notices were published in the press announcing that "His Holy Honor the Rebbe of Lubavitch shlita is healthy and well."

==== The Rescue ====
At Agudas Chasidei Chabad in the United States, continuous creative and sophisticated attempts were made to smuggle the Rebbe Rayatz out of Poland. Members of Agudas Chasidei Chabad established contact with officials in the American government who approached the head of German military intelligence, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, who worked toward smuggling out the Rebbe Rayatz. Despite the dangerous situation, the Rebbe Rayatz requested that twenty additional people, besides his family members, leave with him.

On the 2nd of Teves 5700 (December 1939), the Rebbe Rayatz and his family were smuggled out of Poland, together with twenty Jews, through Berlin to Riga. After three days, on the 5th of Teves, they arrived in Riga, and on the 24th of Adar 5700 (March 1940), they left Riga for Stockholm (Sweden).

On the 25th of Adar 5700, they traveled from Stockholm by train to the city of Gothenburg, from where they sailed on the ship "Drottningholm" to the United States, where the Rebbe received an impressive and massive welcome reception, organized by Chabad chassidim in Stockholm led by Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Zuber.

==== Saving Jews ====
After arriving in the United States, the Frierdiker Rebbe immediately began working to save Jews from all backgrounds and countries. This activity involved members of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in the United States and additional Chabad askanim worldwide.

He:

* Worked and succeeded in rescuing his son-in-law the Rebbe and daughter [[Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka]]
* Attempted to rescue his son-in-law Rabbi [[Menachem Mendel Horenstein]] and daughter Rebbetzin Sheina HY"D
* Made great efforts to rescue as many Tmimim and chassidim as possible from burning Europe
* Ensured the rescue of several important Jewish leaders of that period, including the [[Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz|Rebbe Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz]] and the Imrei Emes of Ger
* Worked to provide assistance to many Jews who faced hardship due to the war, which caused distress, shortages, and severe economic problems worldwide
* Conducted special rescue operations through Chabad Rabbanim and askanim in Sweden - Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Zuber and Rabbi Yisroel Chesdan. Documentation of these activities are scattered throughout the Frierdiker Rebbe's Igros Kodesh and some were collected in the book Chasdei Yisroel in chapters dealing with rescue during the Holocaust period
* In addition to operational activities, the Frierdiker Rebbe worked to inspire American Jews to do teshuvah for the merit of their brothers suffering from Nazi persecution, and composed special prayers to arouse mercy for the Jewish people and for the merit of U.S. military personnel and leaders fighting for humanity
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