Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson: Difference between revisions

During World War I, she was among the leaders of the "committees" established to find help for all war refugees who arrived in Dnepropetrovsk, including shochtim, rabbis, yeshiva heads, and others.

The Rebbe mentioned on various occasions how his parents' self-sacrifice for the community influenced him regarding leadership and caring for all of Israel.

In 1929, their eldest son, the Rebbe's wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland. The Rebbe's parents were forbidden from leaving Russia and attending the wedding due to their Jewish activities. On the wedding day, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana held a mitzvah feast despite the severe prohibition on religious gatherings.

In 1939, her husband was arrested by the authorities due to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's fight for observing mitzvot and his activities in spreading Judaism, which were forbidden under Soviet Union laws.

After the years of exile, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak moved to Alma Ata (Almaty), but due to the hardships of imprisonment and exile, he became seriously and terminally ill there, from which he passed away on the 20th of Menachem Av 5704 (August 9, 1944) and was buried there.

== Leaving Russia ==

Eventually, she decided to smuggle across the border to Poland, where she wandered from city to city. Those who accompanied her were the young women Hadassah (Perman) and Yocheved (Zalmanov) of the Gurlick family, whose family and father she knew from Alma Ata, and agreed to journey with these girls.

Extended article - The Rebbe's Visit to Paris

The Rebbetzin lived her last seventeen years near 770 (on President Street, at number 1418, which is now connected to the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva dormitory).

Three years after arriving in New York, the Rebbe Rayatz passed away and her eldest son, the Rebbe, took his place. Despite his busy schedule, the Rebbe made sure to visit his mother every day without exception.

Rebbetzin Chana served as a member of the presidency of N'shei uBnos Chabad in the United States.

The Rebbe shedding tears at his mother's funeral The Rebbetzin's resting place

On Yom Kippur, which fell during the shiva, the Rebbe asked R' DovBer Junik to arrange a minyan for Mincha prayer in her apartment.

Starting from Shabbat Bereishit 5725, the Rebbe began explaining Rashi's commentaries on the weekly Torah portion during Shabbat farbrengens, week after week. The Rebbe also published a booklet of Igeret HaTeshuvah with a dedication in her memory.

In 5772 (2012), at the annual religious affairs conference in Kazakhstan, the Rishon LeZion Rabbi Shlomo Amar presented Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev with the Rebbetzin's diary translated into Russian on behalf of Kazakhstan's Jewish community and Israel's Chief Rabbinate, after mentioning her in his speech before religious leaders.

In New York, Rebbetzin Chana wrote down her life experiences in Soviet Russia. These life chronicles are full of hardships but also filled with spiritual strength and self-sacrifice. The Rebbetzin gave a typed copy of these memoirs to Chassidic writer Nissan Gordon to publish in Di Yiddishe Heim, which were indeed published there in a series of articles in 5724, with additional details from interviews Nissan Gordon conducted with the Rebbetzin, omitting all parts about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's suffering (as per the Rebbetzin's request, who wished not to pain the Rebbe with the painful information).

Women who knew her personally relate that she was a rare personality. She suffered for many years, yet contained her pain and radiated joy in life.

R' Yosef Nimotin, son of the Chassid Rabbi Shmuel Nimotin, lived in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan during World War II and was involved in saving lives. He merited to serve and care for the Kabbalist Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson and Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, the Rebbe's parents. During the 'Great Escape from Russia' in 5706, he entrusted Rabbi Simcha Gorodetzky with the shofar used by the Rebbe's father, which was inherited from the Tzemach Tzedek, to pass on to the Rebbe. Rabbi Nimotin remained in the Soviet Union until 5739, maintaining Rabbi Levi Yitzchak's holy gravesite, ensuring its cleanliness and upkeep. After leaving Russia, he settled in Crown Heights and received special attention from the Rebbe due to his closeness and assistance to his father.

His memories about Rabbi Levi Yitzchak and Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe's parents, were published in HaTamim issue 54, Beit Moshiach supplement Sukkot 5785.

* '''Her Brother''': Israel Aryeh Leib Yanovsky - born in 5646 and passed away at age fifteen from typhus.

* '''Her Sister''': Rebbetzin Miriam Gittel Schneerson, wife of HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn.