Today, the 13th of Tamuz , we celebrate the liberation of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson (sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe)from a sentence of exile to Kastroma in the interior of Russia. The Rebbe lived in the times of unprecedented upheaval and transition for the Jewish people. Born in the summer of 1880, he grew up in the small village of Lubavitch. He assumed leadership of Chabad in the aftermath of Russia’s revolution and civil war, in a time of progroms and persecution against the Jews at the hands of the communist regime. He never despaired and built underground Jewish schools, Yeshivas, Mikvah’s and helped the Jews in Russia keep their hopes up always putting himself in danger to save the Jews from assimilation.After seeing all his efforts be destroyed at the hands of the Nazis in 1939 he relocated to NY to rebuild a new network of educational institutions and activities. Despite personal illness and frailty he made intense efforts both to save Jews from the Nazis onslaught and to imbue a new generation of American Jews with the potent spirit of Chassidism and the knowledge of who they are.
Thanks to a life dedicated to his beloved people today we can enjoy the benefits of his very hard life.
When you sit tonight at your Shabbat Table remember how blessed we are that we live in a time in which we can practice our Judaism freely and in comfort thanks to the self sacrifice of people like him.
For more information on Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak visit Chabad.org
Shabbat Shalom
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