The Rebbe Rayatz: Difference between revisions

== The Rebbe Rayatz's Childhood Journeys ==

Extended article - Yalta Journey In Elul 5646, he traveled with his parents to the city of "Yalta" in Crimea, and returned after Pesach 5647. During this journey he heard and learned much from his father.

''Expanded Entry: The Imprisonment and Redemption of the Frierdiker Rebbe''

At the beginning of the year 5684 (1924), the Communists were actively working to sever the Jewish people from Torah and mitzvos. The Frierdiker Rebbe, who resided in Rostov, stood as the singular force opposing their efforts. He fearlessly led the Chabad chassidim in the struggle to uphold Yiddishkeit. During that period, the Frierdiker Rebbe traveled to Moscow with the goal of organizing and strengthening Jewish activity there. The GPU authorities in Rostov decided to arrest the Frierdiker Rebbe to put an end to Jewish activity in the city. When the Chabad chassidim became aware of this, they engaged in negotiations with the GPU officials. It was agreed that if the Frierdiker Rebbe would voluntarily leave Rostov, he would not be arrested. On the 23rd of Iyar 5684, the Frierdiker Rebbe left Rostov and moved to the city of Leningrad, where he intensified his activities in the struggle for the preservation of Torah and mitzvos among Soviet Jewry.

''The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports on the Frierdiker Rebbe's arrest.''

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In Riga, the Frierdiker Rebbe focused on rebuilding and strengthening Jewish education and communal life. Despite the hardships faced by Soviet Jewry, his correspondence with chassidim in the Soviet Union became a lifeline for their spiritual survival. Through secret channels, he encouraged them to continue observing Torah and mitzvos under the most challenging conditions.

The Frierdiker Rebbe established and expanded the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva network outside of Soviet borders, emphasizing the importance of training students who would become emissaries (shluchim) to spread Yiddishkeit globally.

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The Frierdiker Rebbe's influence extended far beyond the borders of Latvia. He maintained active correspondence with Jewish leaders and communities across Europe and the United States, offering guidance and support.

During the 1930s, recognizing the growing danger posed by the rise of Nazism in Germany, the Frierdiker Rebbe worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the plight of European Jewry. His efforts included fundraising, lobbying world leaders, and strengthening Jewish identity to combat the spiritual decline caused by assimilation and persecution.

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In 1940, the Frierdiker Rebbe and his family managed to escape the horrors of the Holocaust and arrived in the United States. His arrival marked a new chapter in Chabad's history, as he established the movement's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

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The Frierdiker Rebbe took on the monumental task of rekindling the flame of Yiddishkeit in America. Many Jews at the time were succumbing to assimilation, and Jewish observance was on the decline. Undeterred, the Frierdiker Rebbe launched a series of initiatives to strengthen Jewish education and observance in the United States, including:

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In his final years, the Frierdiker Rebbe’s health began to decline due to the immense physical and emotional toll of his decades-long leadership. Despite his frailty, he continued to guide Chabad-Lubavitch with extraordinary determination, delivering sichos (talks) and directing communal activities through letters and audiences.

On Yud Shevat, 5710 (January 28, 1950), the Frierdiker Rebbe passed away in New York. His histalkus marked the end of an era of relentless struggle for Jewish survival in the face of persecution and assimilation. His life’s work laid the foundation for the global Chabad-Lubavitch movement we see today.