Editing The Rebbe (section)

==== During World War II ====
In the winter of 1939, Chabad in the United States, by the Rebbe Rayatz’s instructions, began lobbying with high-level officials to obtain entry visas for the Rebbe and his wife to the United States. The request was submitted at the American Consulate in Paris. However, due to the war, communication was difficult, and it was unclear whether the visa had been granted.

In 1940, just before Shavuot (after the Germans had already entered France and the Rebbe had not yet received the U.S. visa), the Rebbe and his wife left the city and traveled to southern France, an area not yet occupied by the Germans. On the evening of Shavuot, they arrived in the city of Vichy. In late summer 1940, they moved from Vichy to Nice, where they lived for eight to nine months until the summer of 1941. Meanwhile, efforts to secure visas continued. On the 20th of Nisan 1941, the visas were received in Marseille, and from there, the Rebbe and his wife made their way to Lisbon, Portugal.

On the 17th of Sivan, 1941, the Rebbe and his wife boarded the ship "S.S. Serpa Pinto" from Portugal to New York, where they arrived on the 28th of Sivan, 1941. A delegation of Chassidim sent by the Rebbe Rayatz welcomed them at the port.