Editing The Town of Shchedrin (section)

==== The Background ====
The leaders of Chabad Chassidus throughout the generations engaged in improving the material condition of Jews, and encouraged many of them to leave the large cities and live in settlements and earn their livelihood from working the land.

In the years preceding 5598 (1838), the Russian Czar issued a call for Jews to engage in agricultural work, which provided additional incentive for Jews to move to villages and settlements. The Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek realized this potential and began to establish a Jewish settlement for Chabad chassidim who would engage in manual labor.