Note: This article discusses the sixth Rebbe of Chabad. For information about Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Avrutch, son of the Tzemach Tzedek, see Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (son of the Tzemach Tzedek).

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson the rebbe rayatz

The Sixth Rebbe in the Dynasty of Chabad Rebbes The Frierdiker Rebbe Birth: 12th of Tammuz 5640 Areas of Activity: Russia, Poland, Latvia and New York Affiliation: Chabad Rebbes Teachers: His father, the Rebbe Rashab Students: All Chabad chassidim Works: Ma'amarim, sichos, Igros Kodesh

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson - the Frierdiker Rebbe (12th of Tammuz 5640 - 10th of Shevat 5710) (in Chabad chassidic parlance "the Previous Rebbe" and in the original Yiddish "der frierdiker Rebbe") was the sixth Rebbe in the dynasty of Chabad Rebbes, son of Rabbi Shalom DovBer (the Rebbe Rashab) and Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah Schneerson, and father-in-law of the Rebbe. His resting place is in the Ohel at Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York.

Birth

The Rebbe Rayatz, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, was born on 12th of Tammuz 5640 to his parents the Rebbe Rashab and Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, who had married on 11th of Elul 5635 and had not been blessed with children for several years. On Simchas Torah 5640, when his grandfather the Rebbe Maharash was blessing the women and daughters of the household at his home, his son and daughter-in-law (the parents of Yosef Yitzchak) were forgotten. This incident greatly distressed his mother Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, and although the matter was immediately corrected and she received her father-in-law's blessing, it did not alleviate her distress. She returned home and burst into tears about not yet being blessed with children and about being forgotten from the blessings.

While crying, she fell asleep and in her dream saw a distinguished man enter her room. When he asked why she was crying, she told him what was weighing on her. The man promised her that in that year she would have a son on the condition that she distribute eighteen rubles to tzedakah from her personal money. He then left the room and returned accompanied by two men and repeated the condition before them. After she agreed, they blessed her and left the room. When she awoke, she told her father-in-law, the Rebbe Maharash, about her dream. The Rebbe Maharash said that the man was his father, the Tzemach Tzedek, and the two who accompanied him were his grandfather the Mitteler Rebbe and his great-grandfather the Alter Rebbe.

To fulfill the man's request for Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah to donate eighteen rubles, she had to sell one of her dresses and distributed the money to tzedakah. Indeed, nine months later, her only son, Yosef Yitzchak, was born.

On the 19th of Tammuz 5640, the Rebbe Rayatz entered into the covenant of Avraham Avinu. During the bris, the Rebbe Rayatz cried, and his grandfather, the Rebbe Maharash, said to him: "Why are you crying? When you grow up you will be..." and say Chassidus clearly. The Rebbe said that he heard from chassidim that the Rebbe Maharash said "when you grow up you will be a Rebbe" but in the Rebbe Rayatz's notes, the word "Rebbe" was omitted.

During the bris, the grandfather the Rebbe Maharash was in an elevated state of joy, delivered a ma'amar, told stories, and sang the Daled Bavos niggun with special emotion.

Childhood and Education

He received his initial and basic education from his great father the Rebbe Rashab, who gave him a pure and authentic chassidic education, as he would later often recount. His father would tell him many stories and would sharpen his memories of things he heard or saw from the great chassidim. In 5644, the Rebbe Rayatz was first brought to cheder under Rabbi Yekusiel melamed dardaki. Rabbi Yekusiel taught the Rebbe Rayatz the alef-beis and would tell him stories about Chassidus and Chabad. In 5645, the Rebbe Rayatz entered the cheder of Reb Zusha melamed dardaki, and in 5646, the Rebbe Rashab began to educate him privately.

The Rebbe Rayatz expressed that from 5648 he became a different person - until then he did not know what a Rebbe was. From that year began a transformation in the Rebbe Rayatz's life and he began to understand more the meaning of a Rebbe, and began to hear ma'amarim from his father, and matters of "Rebbe," and began to fast on fast days. At that time he began learning with the melamed Reb Shimshon.

When he was nine years old in Elul 5649, he began learning with the melamed Reb Nissan Skobla.

In 5654, the Rebbe Rashab appointed the Rashbatz as his son the Rebbe Rayatz's educator and guide, a role he served until 5660, when the Rashbatz was appointed as mashpia in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim.

His father the Rebbe Rashab was naturally weak and needed to travel for long periods to health resorts. During these times, all his education was entrusted to his "melamdim." He received his love for chassidic stories primarily from his teacher Reb Yekusiel and from his grandmother Rebbetzin Rivka. In his youth, the Rebbe Rayatz would memorize mishnayos by heart with the encouragement of his father the Rebbe Rashab, and he would be tested on the mishnayos he knew by heart by Rabbi Moshe Binyamin Meitin 'the examiner.' By 5651, the Rebbe Rayatz was well-versed in Sedarim: Zeraim and Moed. Once, the Rebbe Rayatz complained to his teacher Reb Nissan about forgetting all the stories that were told to him, in response he suggested that he write down all the stories, and indeed from 5652 the Rebbe Rayatz began writing a diary.

Bar Mitzvah

On 10th of Tammuz 5651, at age eleven, his father first took him to the resting places of his ancestors and taught him how he should conduct himself there. Afterwards he told him that since on Shabbos he would turn 11 years old, he wished to teach him the 'seder' that he received from his father who received it from his grandfather until the Alter Rebbe - to begin wearing tefillin at this age. The next day his father called him to his room, took out small tefillin from the drawer and revealed to him that these were the tefillin of his father (the Rebbe Maharash), and instructed him to begin wearing Rashi tefillin without a bracha. At his father's instruction, this was kept secret, and so he would practice each day, entering his father's room to put on tefillin and afterwards going to shul to daven as usual.

Two months before the bar mitzvah, on 11th of Iyar 5653, his father repeated the ma'amar "V'chazakta V'hayisa L'ish." Before the bar mitzvah, the Rebbe Rayatz learned three ma'amarim: one that he delivered publicly on the day of his bar mitzvah, another that he said at the Ohel of his ancestors, and a third whose details of delivery remained secret. Many guests came to the bar mitzvah celebration, and his father the Rebbe Rashab was in special joy, said Chassidus and told stories.

Youth

After becoming bar mitzvah, he would often enter his father's room and would hear ma'amarim, mostly ones that were not said publicly. At age fifteen his father brought him to the Ohel of the Rebbe Maharash and the Tzemach Tzedek and appointed him as his secretary in communal affairs. From the bar mitzvah onwards, the Rebbe Rayatz learned Tanya with his father the Rebbe Rashab three times - after the bar mitzvah, in 5656, and in 5658.

From 5655 until 5660, the Rebbe Rayatz and his father would go out every day in summer for a two-to-three hour walk, except for Monday when they would visit Rebbetzin Rivka. During these walks the Rebbe Rashab would teach the Rebbe Rayatz ma'amarei Chassidus and instructions for his future life.

In 5660 the Rebbe Rayatz learned the craft of shechita, and indeed served as a shochet in practice.

The Rebbe Rayatz's Childhood Journeys

Yalta Journey

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.

The Journey to Mozinkess (5651)

In the summer of 5651, he joined his father on his journey to the village of "Mozinkess" near Lubavitch.

The Journey to Alivke

In 5655, the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz went on 11th of Sivan for the first time to the vacation village of Alivke.

Marriage and Family Life

For his shidduch, three matches were proposed to the Rebbe Rayatz, two of them daughters of wealthy families who committed to provide a large dowry, and the third was Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, whose parents were poor. The Rebbe Rashab specifically chose this shidduch proposal, over the other two offers, explaining that he wanted his only son the Rebbe Rayatz to marry within the family.

The tena'im between the Rebbe Rayatz and Rebbetzin Nechama Dina Schneerson were signed on 28th of Sivan 5656 in the town of Alivke. For a week, the parents of the kallah and chosson farbrenged in the month of Tammuz as a continuation of the tena'im.

Due to the kallah's young age (15), the wedding took place more than a year later.

The Wedding

On Friday, Parshas Teitzei, 13th of Elul 5657, at age 17, the wedding took place in the town of Lubavitch. On his wedding day, the chosson wore a shtreimel and at that moment his father told him to make a Shehecheyanu. After the chuppah, the Rebbe Rashab and a large crowd accompanied the chosson and kallah with singing to the hall where the seudah was held. On the way, the Rebbe Rashab said to his son: "V'chazakta v'hayisa l'ish." The seudah was held in the large zal in Lubavitch. During the seudah, the Rebbe Rashab walked around with three chassidim (Reb Meir Mordechai Chernin, Reb Yaakov Kopel Zelikson and Reb Shlomo Chaim Kutain) to ensure the waiters were serving food to everyone and the Rebbe Rashab said l'chaim with each person. Additionally, the Rebbe Rashab said many chassidic discourses. After the wedding, the couple lived in a room built adjacent to the Rebbe Rashab's apartment.

At the Sheva Brachos feast, on Sunday 15th of Elul 5657, the Rebbe Rashab announced his decision to establish Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim where they would learn both nigleh and Chassidus.

On Tuesday 17th of Elul, the Rebbe Rashab selected eighteen students who would form the first nucleus of the new Tomchei Tmimim under the direction of the Rebbe Rayatz.

Managing Tomchei Tmimim

Immediately after the Sheva Brachos of the Rebbe Rayatz, at which the Rebbe Rashab announced the opening of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim, in 5658, the Rebbe Rayatz was appointed as its active director.

During the Rebbe Rayatz's tenure as director of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim, he was arrested several times and there was one instance when the yeshiva was closed:

On 20th of Sivan in 5662, Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim was closed for one day by order of the authorities. This was following the denouncement by the Maskilim. The Rebbe Rayatz did not comply with the police order and asked Yaakov the builder instead to prepare stairs so the bochurim could enter through the window. The next day a telegram arrived from the police commander giving permission to reopen the yeshiva.

Activities for Russian Jewry

At that time, the Czarist regime made life difficult for the Jews, and therefore the Rebbe Rayatz had to go to the authorities several times to try to soften their stance and change it for the better. Sometimes he had to do this with literal mesiras nefesh and risk to his life.

In 5664-5665, during the Russo-Japanese War, he assisted his father the Rebbe Rashab in supporting Jews who were fighting on the Russian-Japanese front, and ensuring they had kosher food and matzos for Pesach.

After the war, pogroms against Jews began in Russia. The Rebbe Rayatz worked through diplomatic channels to try to get the authorities to stop the pogroms.

In 5670 he assisted his father at the Rabbinical Assembly of 5670, and in 5674 helped fight in the Beilis trial and prove Beilis's innocence.

Acceptance of Leadership

On 2nd of Nissan 5680, the Rebbe Rashab, who was the father of the Rebbe Rayatz, passed away. In his will he wrote that they should appoint his only son, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, to succeed him in leading Chabad chassidus and heading Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim. Consequently, on the day of the passing, Chabad chassidim appointed the Rebbe Rayatz to fill his father's place. He also wrote in the will that his son should work on strengthening and establishing the yeshiva and setting up chadarim and shiurim for learning Chassidus in the towns of Russia. In addition to the will, the Rebbe Rayatz also received a personal note from his father which stated: "You shall speak Chassidus before our friends on faithful foundations in the words of our holy fathers z"l, and you shall strive to explain the matters to others with good taste and knowledge." The Rebbe Rayatz showed this note to the chassidim after his father's passing but did not allow it to be copied.

Hiskashrus

The Rebbe Rayatz was well known to the chassidim from their time studying in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Lubavitch under the management of the Rebbe's son as director, and other chassidim knew him from their visits to the Rebbe's court. Those involved in Chabad institutions and general public activities were in regular contact with the Rebbe's son, who had been his father the Rebbe Rashab's right hand for many years.

The distinguished and respected chassidim wrote letters of encouragement to chassidim in the cities of Russia and included the content of the note. At the same time, Lubavitch communities throughout the Soviet Union began sending letters of hiskashrus which the chassidim signed, requesting the Rebbe Rayatz to accept upon himself the leadership of Chabad chassidus.

Letters of Hiskashrus

Letters of hiskashrus were sent from major Chabad communities at that time such as: Moscow, Odessa, Poltava, Nikolayev, Kharkov and more.

The details of the letters of hiskashrus were not known at all during those years and only after about ninety years were several letters of hiskashrus published in Beis Moshiach weekly, and in each "letter" dozens of chassidim plead and urge the Rebbe Rayatz to accept the yoke of leadership and the signatories commit to obey his instructions and connect to him.

Arrests

First Arrest

When the Rebbe Rayatz was eleven years old, in the month of Menachem Av of the year 5651, he was walking in the market with his friend on their way from the classroom to eat lunch. On the way, he saw a junior policeman (orderly) jumping on the Hasid Reb David the butcher, whom he knew and had even lent money to for his business, beating him and slapping him until much blood flowed from his nose. The Rebbe Rayatz jumped on the gentile, pushed him, and shouted angrily: "Drunk, despicable one!" The policeman attacked the Rebbe Rayatz and beat him vigorously, forcibly dragging him to the police station, where he was put in a detention room. He sat there for five hours until the policeman who brought him in entered the cell and apologized. In the middle, Mr. Mordechai Zilberbourd entered, who was the secretary of the Rebbe Rayatz's uncle - Shneur Zalman Aharon Schneersohn - and handed a note to the commander, who immediately ordered his release.

Second Arrest

On Wednesday, the 7th of Iyar of the year 5662, the Rebbe Rayatz was then twenty-two years old and headed the management of the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva. A non-religious Jew from the Volhynian Hasidic sect named Perelmutter told the Rebbe Rayatz that Mr. Gitelson, the head teacher at the "Enlightenment Spreaders Society" school, was very angry with Lubavitch Hasidim and the Rebbe at their head, because of their war against the maskilim (enlightenment advocates). He prepared a denunciation letter to the Ministry of Education and the provincial minister, claiming that in the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva they encourage students to dodge army service through forgeries and illegal actions. The accusation was directed at the yeshiva's director - the Rebbe's son, the Rebbe Rayatz.

On Monday, the 12th of Iyar, a policeman accompanied by two men in civilian clothing entered the Rebbe Rayatz's office. They began to generally interrogate him about the yeshiva's arrangements, its care for students, the legality of the yeshiva's financial arrangements, and more. Then they moved to discuss the students' avoidance of military conscription. The interrogation ended shortly, and the three went on their way.

The next day, at eight in the evening, a policeman and a secret service agent arrived at the yeshiva office and ordered the Rebbe Rayatz to accompany them to the police station. The Rebbe Rayatz told them he was a "respectable citizen for generations" and requested not to disturb him so late, promising to appear the next morning around 9-10. To the detective's question of who would guarantee he wouldn't flee that night, the Rebbe Rayatz answered that "Schneersohn does not flee. The Schneersohns are not cowardly fugitives, and they have no reason or cause to be fleeing." The next morning, the Rebbe Rayatz appeared at the police station as he had committed. He was taken to a side room where three people were already waiting, one of whom was the detective from the previous night.

The Rebbe Rayatz did not answer their questions about how many people he had dismissed from army service or how much bribe he was giving police officials to cover up his crimes against the law. One of the policemen was summoned and led the Rebbe Rayatz to jail. Towards evening, the Rebbe Rayatz was called to the secret service rooms, where the senior official told him that although the investigation was not yet complete, the checks done so far had not proven his guilt, and therefore he was released to his home.

Third Arrest

On Wednesday, the 6th of Tevet 5666, a special messenger arrived at the Rebbe Rayatz's residence with an invitation for him to appear at ten o'clock at the investigation committee in the city police station. The invitation form did not specify the reason except for the note "for an urgent and responsible matter". The form was also accompanied by a clear warning: "The absence of the summoned person is punishable by a week's imprisonment or a fine of one thousand rubles!"

At the specified time, the Rebbe Rayatz appeared at the police station's interrogation room. Leading the team of investigators was the provincial minister Mr. Kovtzkov, who knew the Rebbe Rayatz and shook his hand with a heartfelt greeting, even introducing him to the chief secret service officer.

The investigation committee told him that he was taken as a hostage following a disturbance by youths that occurred the previous Friday in the Lubavitch market. The youths had fled, and the police were doing everything in their power to find and prosecute them. They told the Rebbe Rayatz that the government was clear that he and the yeshiva students had no connection to the actions, but he was taken as a guarantee until the Jewish community would surrender the rebellious youths to the royal court. The Rebbe Rayatz was taken to one of the rooms under strict guard.

At five in the evening, a policeman ordered the Rebbe Rayatz to accompany him to the interrogation room. The investigators sat as before and read out the investigation committee's decision: "For the benefit of the investigation about the youths' rebellion against the government, the investigation committee found it necessary to threaten and intimidate the Jewish community leaders, so that they would surrender the rebellious youths and take them out of their hiding places. Alternatively, they would be imposed with a guarantee fine of five hundred rubles for each of the rebellious youths. Second decision: to arrest - for show - Mr. Schneersohn as a guarantee for the rebellious Jews. Therefore, we called Mr. Schneersohn and told him our decision - and he agreed with us. We therefore thank Mr. Schneersohn for helping us with the investigation, and now he is free to go home."

The Rebbe Rayatz was asked to sign the document, but he declared that he was not a member of the investigation committee and therefore had no right to sign its protocols. Regarding himself, it was not correct that he had agreed to be arrested. The secret service official looked at him with piercing eyes and said: "If you do not wish to sign, it is certainly your right; however, know that others relate to our proposals differently." The Rebbe Rayatz stood up, said "Good night," and left.

Fourth Arrest

In the month of Tevet 5670, a Jew named K. informed on the Rebbe Rayatz, and he was arrested in Petersburg. The Rebbe Rayatz writes about this arrest in his notes: "Due to various reasons that cannot be revealed, only a few sections and general notes, which do not damage anyone's honor."

Fifth Arrest

In the month of Shevat 5676, following the Rebbe Rayatz's efforts to obtain legal material and exemption laws for yeshiva students from army service, he was arrested for the fifth time for several hours in Petersburg. During this arrest, he was about thirty-six years old.

Sixth Arrest

In the summer of 5680, during the morning prayer, the Rebbe Rayatz was serving as the prayer leader during the year of mourning for his father, the Rebbe Rashab. In the middle of the prayer, three policemen entered the synagogue, approached the prayer stand, and ordered the Rebbe Rayatz to remove his tallit and tefillin and come with them. The Rebbe Rayatz responded that he first needed to finish the prayer and study the Mishnayot customarily learned after the prayer, for the elevation of the deceased's soul, and only then would he attend to them.

After completing the final Kaddish following the Mishnah study, he removed his tallit and tefillin and accompanied the policemen who surrounded him - one on his right, one on his left, and the third walking behind him.

When he arrived at the "death courtyard", the Rebbe Rayatz was brought into a large hall. About fifteen people, members of the "Religious Inspection Committee", sat around a wide table, with the two most prominent sitting at the head. In front of each sitting person was a loaded gun. The Rebbe Rayatz was seated at the end of the table, with three guards standing beside him.

They turned to the Rebbe Rayatz and said they were occupied with examining the Jewish religion, and he was invited to answer several questions about Jewish law related to Kabbalah and Hasidism. The Rebbe Rayatz responded in Yiddish: "I have already informed you in the two previous times I was called before you that I will not move from my principles; and no person, or even a demon, has been born who can move me from my principles, not even the slightest bit."

The Seventh Imprisonment

Expanded Entry: The Imprisonment and Redemption of the Frierdiker Rebbe

The Shpalerka Prison where the Frierdiker Rebbe was held

Background

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 Imprisonment

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

Translation of the report: "The Rebbe of Lubavitch, the renowned Rebbe of the Schneersohn dynasty, has been arrested on charges of collecting funds for his yeshiva. The Rebbe’s yeshiva is well-known and esteemed worldwide as one of the most significant yeshivos, and the Rebbe himself is held in great regard. His arrest has caused great agitation in the Jewish world."

Three years later, seeing that the Frierdiker Rebbe's activities were expanding, the Communists decided once again to put an end to them. On the night of Wednesday, the 15th of Sivan 5687 (1927), KGB agents broke into his home, arrested him, and brought him to the Shpalerka prison. He was interrogated for many hours, and at the conclusion, one of the interrogators declared, “Within 24 hours, you will be executed by firing squad!”

Thanks to international pressure and rescue efforts involving Rabbi Mordechai Dubin (a member of the Latvian Parliament), Dr. Oscar Kohn (a member of the German Reichstag), and Mrs. Peshkova (the chairwoman of the Red Cross in Russia), the death sentence was commuted to ten years of exile in the Solovki Islands. Following further intervention by Mrs. Peshkova, the sentence was reduced to three years of exile in the city of Kostroma. On the 3rd of Tammuz 5687, the Frierdiker Rebbe was released from imprisonment and traveled to Kostroma.

At that time, the Chabad chassidim were unsure whether to celebrate the release since it was not yet clear that it was a commutation of the death sentence. In 5752, the Rebbe referred to this day as the “beginning of the redemption” both personally and collectively. He explained that in a certain sense, this day holds an even higher level than the 12th of Tammuz, as it represents a hidden redemption, which is loftier than a revealed redemption, and because it initiated the process culminating in the 12th of Tammuz.

Mrs. Peshkova continued her efforts on behalf of the Frierdiker Rebbe with the Soviet authorities, and on Tuesday, the 12th of Tammuz 5687, when the Frierdiker Rebbe came for his weekly registration, the official informed him that he no longer needed to report, as an order for his complete release had been received. Since that day was a holiday in Kostroma, the release documents were only issued the following day.

The Frierdiker Rebbe stayed for several days in Leningrad. Due to threats from the Yevsektsia and the GPU to arrest him again, he moved to Malachovka, a village near Moscow. After significant efforts, the Frierdiker Rebbe obtained permission to leave for Latvia. On the 24th of Tishrei 5688, he left Russia with his family and settled in Riga. Shortly thereafter, his son-in-law, the Rebbe, joined him. Subsequently, he established the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in Gostynin.

In Riga, the Frierdiker Rebbe achieved great accomplishments in communal matters, particularly for the Jews of Soviet Russia.

Continued Achievements and Leadership in Riga

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.

Establishment of Educational Institutions

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.

Worldwide Influence

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.

American Rescue Mission

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.

The Move to the United States

Arrival in America

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.

Transforming American Jewry

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:

Founding yeshivos and day schools to educate the next generation.
Publishing books and pamphlets to spread Torah knowledge and inspire deeper Jewish commitment.
Sending emissaries to establish Chabad centers in cities and communities across America.

Final Years and Legacy

The Frierdiker Rebbe’s Health and Passing

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.