We are often asked: What was it like to actually be in the Rebbe’s presence? What did the Rebbe say about a particular topic? How did he conduct his daily life? And the questions keep coming. Help document a story, or snippet, or a fleeting impression that may be etched in your mind -- so that thousands who are thirsty to discover more about the Rebbe can do so.
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In May 1940, my family arrived in Vichy, France, in order to escape bombardments by the Nazi air force over Charleroi, Belgium where my father was a rabbi.
Upon returning from a small synagogue in Vichy on a Shabbat afternoon, my father told us that he had heard there a word of Torah delivered by the son-in-law of the then Lubavitcher Rebbe who had impressed him as an outstanding Torah Scholar.
We became acquainted with the Rebbe. I remember meeting him myself as a child while walking with my father on a main street in Vichy. He was wearing a belted trench coat and a light grey hat. On several occasions, my mother accompanied the Rebbitzen (the Rebbes wife) to a farm in the Vichy area in order to be there while the cows were being milked, so the milk would be Kosher.
When Vichy became the seat of the wartime French government, foreigners were compelled to leave. After a three-months stay in Vichy, we moved to Nice, France.
The Rebbe moved there as well while waiting to make his way to the United States. He stayed for a time at the Hotel Rochambeau located then on the Avenue Thiers in Nice. He attended services at the Ashkenazi synagogue Ezras Achim located at the time on the Boulevard Dubouchage which had become the meeting place of many refugees, several famous rabbis and Jewish personalities among them, who were fleeing Nazi persecution. We met the Rebbe there frequently.
When Passover time arrived, the Rebbe asked my father to prepare wine for him, apparently because he trusted no one else. My father was pleased to prepare it for him from dry raisins.
In 1952, we moved to the United States. Shortly after our arrival, I accompanied my father on a private audience with the Rebbe who gave us advice and his blessing.
I maintained contact with the Rebbe. On the last visit I paid to the Rebbe, he said to me in Yiddish: Ich gedenk ayer taten -- I remember your father.
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My fourteen year old son died on the third, of the Hebrew month, of Tammuz in 1984 due to medical malpractice. In my devastation, I was advised by Rabbi Weiss of Chabad of Bergen County, NJ to write to the Rebbe.
He responded and guided me to the decision to have another child.
Included in his communication to me was a book "In the Beginning" by H. Mousse. The book is a more accurate translation of the first six chapters of Genesis. On verse 4:25 instead of quoting Eve as stating "for G-d has appointed me another seed (Seth) instead of [i.e. replacing] Abel whom Cain slew," it renders her saying "RESTORING Abel
I became convinced the Rebbe wanted me to see this and was telling me that Michael's (my deceased son) soul would continue to live in the new child. This was followed by a tremendous surge of hope and optimism. My depression ended and I was able to move forward.
My wife and I adopted a new born infant Joshua who I know through him Michael lives on.
Shortly thereafter, I visited Crown Heights during the holiday of Sukkot. In the packed synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway, I was standing near the path that the Rebbe took towards the platform near the Ark where the Torahs are stored. The Rebbe proceeded slowly without pause all the while nodding greetings. As he passed in front of me, he stopped, fixed me in his gaze and smiled broadly.
The Rebbe's personal Attention convinced me that he had a mystical and intimate awareness of my distress. This put him in the same emotional category as my own loving parents.
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Our family had come New York, from out of town, to visit the Rebbe when I was two years old. Once, when the Rebbe was exiting the main synagogue in Lubavitch World Headquarters, 770, the kipah on my head fell on the floor.
Nobody noticed that it had fallen besides the Rebbe. The rebbe stopped, told someone to pick up my kipah. The Rebbe waited for him to pick up the Kipa, put it on my head, and return to his place. The Rebbe then smiled and continued walking out of 770.
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I had been in labor with my first child for close to 48 hours and Shabbat was drawing close.
We were planning for a natural birth, however the doctor told us that there was not much chance.
Things were not going well, and I was hoping to avoid a C-section. I asked my husband to call Rabbi Shmotkin, and ask him to pray for us.
The Dr. said he would try one more procedure, but he felt sure there would be a C-section.
Thank G-d, that procedure worked, and I had a healthy baby boy.
We later found out that Rabbi Shmotkin had contacted the Rebbe and received a blessing from him.
The doctor believed the blessing made the difference, because he said when I went into the delivery room, I only had two chances for natural delivery: No way, and absolutely no way!
That baby got married 2 weeks ago in Toronto.
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Our daughter was dating for five years and nothing came of it, it was very painful for us.
When she was 23 year old we went together with our daughter to the Rebbe for a blessing that she should meet her mate Bashert. The Rebbe gave her the customary dollar, "for blessing and success & then gave her two more & said within one year you will meet your future partner. Eleven months later they met and they got married!
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My experience with the Rebbe, of blessed memory, took place about 17 years ago.
My husband and I went to visit the Rebbe in Crown Heights with Rabbi Aaron Margolin and Rebbitzen Rychel Margolin from Virginia.
My husband was with Rabbi Margolin in the men's line. I was in the women's line with Rychel.
As we were getting closer to the table that the Rebbe was sitting at, I got worried that maybe he wouldn't understand my request for him to make a special prayer for me to not be such a "nervous" person.
I said to Rychel, "Please, you tell the Rebbe to make prayers for me that I shouldn't be so nervous."
Rychel agreed.
Rychel and I approached the table at the same moment that my husband, who is a doctor, approached the table with Rabbi Aaron Margolin.
Rychel did not say one word. However the Rebbe with his rosy cheeks and the beautiful glow that seemed to encompass him, looked at my husband and at me with this beautiful smile, handed each of us the dollar bill and said to each of us using ONE WORD:
"May G-d give you both 'patients' and 'patience!
HOW DID THE REBBE KNOW WHAT PRAYER "I" WANTED?
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About 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with a deadly disease and was awaiting surgery. I was scared. I contacted my son's teacher who prepared him for his Bar Mitzvah that took place at 770, and asked if I can see the Rebbe. He suggested going to 770 and getting on line with many others to receive Rebbe's blessing.
I was in pain, and it took almost 3 hours until I finally reached my turn to stand in front of the Rebbe. In a brief sentence, I related my problem and asked for a blessing. The Rebbe gave me a blessing "for a long life" and $2. Despite hundreds of people surrounding us, I felt Rebbe's COMPLETE attention to me. The look of his eyes was powerful and extremely comforting. It is difficult to find just the right words to describe all I felt at that moment - "peace and tranquility" are the closest.
A second medical opinion revealed that I was misdiagnosed, and there was no need for a surgery, only a week of antibiotics.
I remember Rebbe's eyes always.
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You may know that the Rebbe was a lofty, holy being, but did you know that the Rebbe was exceedingly practical as well?
My husband and I attended a wedding where we met a young man who told us this story:
When he was a little boy, 9 or 10 years old, living in Crown Heights, this young man would make his way, every morning, down Eastern Parkway towards school, and everyday, the Rebbe would stop, greet him and stroke his cheek. One day the boy was noticeably weighed down by a very heavy book-bag.
The Rebbe stopped, greeted the boy and asked where he was going. "To school," said the boy. "To the Bobover Yeshiva." "May I see your book-bag?"
The boy gave the Rebbe his book-bag. "Whew!" exclaimed the Rebbe. "This is quite heavy! Will you do me a favor? When you get to school, will you give the Bobover Rebbe a message from the Lubavitcher Rebbe? Tell him I said: Get lockers!" The next week, the Bobover Yeshiva had lockers installed.
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I am a non-religious Jew as are my parents. However, when I was about 12, my mother flew to NY specifically to see the Rebbe.
She told me of how she stood in line for hours in order to see the Rebbe and to get a "dollar" from him. She told me that she rehearsed what she would say carefully over and over again, wanting to ask for healing for her sister who was diagnosed with a deadly disease and was sure to die.
But when she got to the Rebbe, she was so overwhelmed that she went blank. The Rebbe gave her a blessing and two dollars and as she began to walk away, he said to her - "Don't worry. You sister will be healthy again." My mother almost fainted. We still have those two bills in our family, and my mother's sister, who is now 86 and well (!), have all been touched by the Rebbe and his amazing spirit.
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When I was in 9th grade, in a local school here in Tel Aviv, I had severe problems with Math. I wrote to the Rabbi and after a while an answer arrived. The Rabbis response was: "it will be fine". I had no idea what his answer really meant. I really felt frustrated, like I said, I felt it was just a general answer, with no specific instruction of how to overcome this obstacle called "math".
During high school years I have never overcome Math. In the 12th grade I decided to give it up and I did not enter classes. I was thinking about the Rabbi's answer and got even more disappointed as nothing went well with Math. I thought I would complete the subject after finishing high school, though it was involved with great efforts- financial and others. As I was an excellent student, Math stood on my way to my diploma.
When my principle found out I was not planning to have the Bagrut tests (in the US the SAT test) taken, she said I could gain my diploma if I submit my test in Math even without answering all questions. Actually, it was enough to have 5 points (!!) out of 100 in order to have this test done. the rule, which not many knew or know about (in order not to encourage students to avoid studying), claims that if you have got 85 points in two other subjects, you can "fail" in one subject.
Post factor I praised the Rabbi saying to myself what a great prophet he was, how did he saw it all in advance and how I only needed his blessings rather than taken tons of private lessons (which I did for some time).he instructed me without me even knowing. To me it was a miracle.
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I grew up in Crown heights- at 1414-1418 President street. I lived there from 1943- 1956. Although we were not Lubavitch and I went to Public school, the Lubavitch always befriended us and made our family feel welcome.
We lived in the apartment building and we were directly on top of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's mother. She was a wonderful dignified woman who always took interest in what I was learning in school (even though I went to Public school).
She loved to walk outside and when I would come home from school, it was very comforting to know that she would be there with questions about my studies. She knew that I also went to Hebrew School and asked me about that as well.
Every Friday afternoon, without fail, the Rebbe's wife would drive him over to visit his mother. My sister and I would wait downstairs for him to hold the door open for him. We didn't know the extent of his greatness and didn't at the time realize his great presence, but we always got a "thank you" and a loving pat.
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The plan for the day of my older son's Bar Mitzvah was to be called to the Torah in the Rebbe's presence in the synagogue adjacent to the Rebbe's office.
However, we hadn't followed up with the coordinators of the Torah reading. Unfortunately, it turned out that wasn't called up to the Torah that day.
I had been waiting in the vestibule between the synagogue and the Rebbes office.
When the prayers were finished, the Rebbe came out first, stopped, turned to me and said "Mazal Tov!!" My husband and sons told me not one word had been mentioned in the synagogue about his Bar Mitzvah.
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30 year a go I came to pray the afternoon prayer at 770. My wife was outside waiting for me to come out .The Rebbe came out looked at her went to is car than came all the way back and told my wife not to worry that all will be good. I know it is not much but for me & my wife it was a tremendous encouragement.
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In 1964 Chabad invited Penn State students to 770 for a Farbrengen a Chassidic gathering. A handful of us went. There we met the self sacrifice of the Chabad.
When the Rebbe entered the main hall, his eyes caught so many directly, as he seemed to upload their souls in seconds.
He gave then four talks in Yiddish. I had household Yiddish. So from the first talk with the basic explanation to the most sophisticated, it was enthralling. Each talk was separated by lchayims (toasts) and song. Some could repeat the talks verbatim.
Wow! The Rebbe's personal charisma was not all I got, but the world he created at 770 and beyond. It was filled with love, caring, spirituality and warmth.
On parting, we received gifts of a prayer book, Tzitzit and a set of Tefillin! I retained all of them to this day as reminders
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About 21 Years ago on Shabbat and two weeks before I got married, I was in the small space to the right of the Rebbe's elevator. I heard a commotion and understood that the Rebbe was going to pass by and walk up the steps to his office.
There was no way that I would be able to leave into the study hall and I understood that I should wait till after the Rebbe went up. As the Rebbe went to go up he turned to face me and gave me a full smile (he was only about 3-4 feet away) and raised his arm in a gesture of encouragement.
After he went upstairs I looked behind me to see-if anyone else had been standing behind me and if the smile and gesture were for anyone else
I was the only one there! And the Rebbe made a point of turning and smiling at me and giving me encouragement!
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My wife and I were in Queens New York at the end of December 1991 for the wedding of my mother-in-law to a wonderful man.
After the ceremony and festivities that Sunday my wife wanted us to take a car service to Crown Heights to see the Rebbe. I didn't want to go because I was afraid we would miss our return flight to the west coast and figured the Rebbe wouldn't be there late in the afternoon but she insisted so off we went with our luggage.
We left our luggage where our local Chabad emissary suggested and sure enough the Rebbe was still there. We were able to get in an "express line" for people hurrying to catch a plane. We had been wanting to start a family but were unable to.
My wife asked for a blessing to adopt a baby. "May you make the right decision, here is a dollar for you and one for the baby" said the Rebbe. He said the same to me. Less than 11 months later we became the parents of a beautiful baby boy.
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We were a group of about twenty people who came from Chabad of Agoura to spend Shabbos in Crown Heights and to see the Rebbe.
I was upstairs with the women looking down as the Rebbe entered the synagogue. It was remarkable to see the path that was created by the men as they dutifully allowed the Rebbe to pass them on his way to the podium.
As the Rebbe walked along this "path" he suddenly stopped and paused for a long moment. I watched closely as did all in the room and realized that he had stopped in front of my young daughter! The silence in the room was peaked as all eyes were on her.
We waited what seemed like an eternity and then the Rebbe gave her a signal with his right hand- that signal of positively, joy, and happiness. People we met that day inquired about my daughter saying that it was highly unusual for the Rebbe to have stopped in that manner.
As I have watched her grow, I am always reminded that she carries within her the Rebbe's special blessing.
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The first time I saw the Rebbe, of blessed memory, in person was during his visit to our camp, Camp Emunah, in 1957.
Just prior to the Rebbe's arrival, there was unusual hustle and bustle as the campers, counselors and staff groomed themselves to perfection. We were told to put on our Shabbat clothes because a special guest was coming. We had heard fascinating stories of the Rebbe's life.
It was thrilling to see this giant of a man, whose eyes gleamed, had taken time from his busy schedule to talk to us young girls. It seemed like all the people in the Catskills came to camp for the Rebbe's visit. The Rebbe spoke to us and Rabbi Hecht translated.
In 1976 at the International Womens Convention, was the last time I saw the Rebbe in person. On Shabbat I saw him leaving 770. He had a big smile and said good Shabbos to me.
I participated in the Release Time/Religious Instruction program initiated by the Rebbe. Each session we heard stories, sang, recited prayer, and made blessings on the snacks they provided. I later enrolled in Beth Rivkah schools.
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In our Community in Venezuela I know someone who had an amazing story with the Rebbe.
They had a son that when he had two years old became very ill during her sleep suddenly he wasn't breathing. They took him to the doctors and when they saw him they told her, your son is dead and we can't do anything about it, however the doctor tried to save him.
After that, their son couldn't move or do anything, he was simply breathing without a machine. The doctor apologized, he said, I should have never done that to you or your family, now you'll have a son that is going to be ill forever.
They responded, not to worry we just wanted to save him.
After a few months and a lot of doctors that said they couldn't do anything for him one of the grandparents convinced them to see the Rebbe and go to his house.
The mother carried her son and stayed out of the Rebbe's house. When he saw her he looked at the boy and gave him a coin for him to give to charity.
That night their son started to recuperate and was cured.
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My best friend's mother went to the Rebbe to meet him. She went with her friend that is a very religious woman. When they met him the Rebbe told her congratulations for the granddaughter that she was going to have. Her daughter was pregnant and she knew that it was going to be a boy. When they went outside the she told her religious friend: the Rebbe made a mistake... my daughter is going to have a boy. She answered her: The Rebbe is never mistaken. After a few months her daughter gave birth and had her son she got pregnant again with a girl that happened to get born the same day as the birthday of the Rebbe.
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I live in Queens, New York. One day in April 1985 I got up in the morning and I decided to take my charity box to 770 . I was never there and called and I got directions.
I am driving on Eastern Parkway and I see thousands of people on the street. I could not go any further so I parked my car on the side and started to walk towards 770.
Finally I got there... People were everywhere. I took the 3 steps up leading to the door and suddenly I see The Rebbe walking towards me with a large brown paper bag under his arm. I am looking at the Rebbe and he is looking at me. I now take 3 steps back and I am on the sidewalk, my left hand touches the Grey Cadillac so I open the door and The Rebbe gets into the front seat and I close the door.
I then go upstairs to leave the Pushka. 20 years later I can still feel the Rebbe looking at me.
I told someone how I met The Rebbe, he exclaimed to me you did not open the door for The Rebbe, he opened the door for you
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It must be at least 25 years ago that this incident happened. I was waiting on line with hundreds of other people to meet the Rebbe. In front of me was a Latino couple. I was really curious why this couple would want to meet with the Rebbe. I asked them if they were Jewish and they replied "no." They explained to me that they wanted to have another child and they needed the Rebbes blessing.
I still found this to be very strange. It seems that four years earlier they went to see the Rebbe because the wife could not conceive and had been trying for a number of years. They had gone the normal route with doctors and specialists and had given up hope.
It was suggested to them that they go see the Rebbe. They tried everything else so they figured that they had nothing to loose. They stood on line for four hours and finally got in to see him. The Rebbe told them that they would have a child within 13 months. Sure enough, they had a baby girl within a year.
They named her Meni
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At the end of 1999, I owned a 2nd home which was the cause of financial pressures. I had tried for several years to sell the home, with no success.
In September of 1999, I took it off of the market, resigned to keeping it. On a cold Sunday morning in early January, Rabbi Moshe Herson took me to the Rebbes Ohel resting place. Foremost in my prayers was that I should be relieved of the burden of the second home, for the good of my family. To my joyful surprise, a few days later, I received a call from a real estate broker who said: "I know you took your house off of the market, but are you still interested in selling it. I have two buyers interested."
The sale closed in March 2000. I know it was because of the Rebbes beseeching to G-d following my prayers at the Ohel.
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As a young child my grandmother used to bring me to Crown Heights. My cousins who lived locally made sure I would always get to see the Rebbe.
Once at Lag BaOmer parade I was enjoying the parade as any 5 year old would. When it was over everyone went to the amusement rides. I got lost and started to cry. I was passed from adult to adult until one of my cousins found me.
My cousin told me to come see the Rebbe as he was coming out of his office. When the Rebbe arrived he wanted to give me something. I was guided to take the charity the Rebbe was giving me and put it in the charity box ("Pushka"). The Rebbe looked into my eyes and said 'Thank you'.
I was told being the only child there the Rebbe was happy with me so he thanked me. Recently I realized that with that 'Thank you' the Rebbe was encouraging me to always try my best. It is that 'Thank you' that has carried me through many difficult challenges.
Some may have the nickels and dollars the Rebbe gave them but I will always have that 'Thank you'.
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Shortly after my father died, we were invited to meet the Rebbe in Brooklyn. We were told to ask him for any thing we wanted and that our wish would come true. Upon approaching him, his piercing blue eyes connected with mine, stricking me silent. As he handed me my cherished dollar, I remember and still feel a personal and spiritual connection t o him. Remarkable!
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I lived in Brooklyn on the corners of St. Marks Ave and Brooklyn. Every Shabbat at 9 am I walked to pray in the Aguda Synagogue on Crown Street. The Rebbe would cross every Shabbat morning at 9 am Eastern Parkway and Brooklyn. Every week I would meet the Rebbe there, I was on one side and the Rebbe on the other side. The Rebbe would nod with head saying good-Shabbat. We did that for many years.
One Shabbat I was a few minutes late When I arrived at the corner, the Rebbe was standing and waiting for me We both nodded each other and he went his way and I went my way I consider it a great honor that the Rebbe should wait for me...
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In May, 1990 I traveled from California to Crown Heights for "dollars" from the Rebbe for the first time. I was expecting my 3rd child and wanted the Rebbe's blessing for this new little "soul," but so many people were in line that I didn't want to delay the Rebbe while I asked for a personal blessing.
As I waited my turn, I watched the stream of women who had been in front of me as they left 770. All had a certain radiance to their faces; many openly wept. I was stunned. "What exactly happens in there?" I wondered. "If it's something so transformational, then I MUST ask for a blessing!"
I began to practice what I would say to the Rebbe, in English, in Yiddish, hoping to find the words. Finally it was my turn. I opened my mouth to say "Anshuldik" -- excuse me, but before even one syllable of my request left my lips, the Rebbe smiled, handed me a dollar and said, "A healthy pregnancy!" Another dollar and "We should hear good news!" My son was born the following June 21, 1990. Good news indeed!
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In 1991 I went to the Rebbe, OB'M, for a blessing. The Rebbe gave me a blessing "for a long life."
In April of 2004, 13 years later, I was admitted into Mt. Sinai Hospital for a heart transplant.
As I was lying in bed one day, a former transplant patient, who had come for an annual checkup, came to visit me. After chatting for a while, he told me that in 1991, while he was waiting for his heart, there was a Grand Rabbi in Mt. Sinai as well. I asked him if it was the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He didn't know the man's name, just that he had many, many disciples praying for him in the street. A nurse, who had been in the room, looked up at me and said, "Rabbi Schneerson?"
I answered, "Yes." She then said, "Yes. Rabbi Schneerson was in this hospital for an eye condition. We put him in Intensive Care because he had a weak heart. As a matter of fact he was in this room...in your bed."
Of course, I was in the Rebbe's bed. Now I remembered and understood the Rebbe's blessing from 1991.
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In January 2000, I was scheduled to have a second cervical neck surgery to fuse 3 vertebrae and fixed a collapsed previous fusion that x-rays showed did not take and could eventually paralyze me. I sent a request for a speedy recovery to the Rebbe’s resting place and asked the Rebbe to beseech G-d for a miracle.
When they subsequently did the surgery, the surgeon had informed me that the collapsed previous fusion that x-rays showed was miraculously normal and no surgery had to be done on that site. I did however have the fusion on the other sites that required surgery, but wasn't nearly as critical as the collapsed site. The physician showed me the before and after x-rays to document that a miracle had indeed taken place. I attribute this to the Rebbe intercession on my behalf to G-d.
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I am a Conservative Jew--actually almost a non-practicing, non-religious Jew. One day about fourteen years ago a friend of mine who is Orthodox brought me out to Crown Heights to the main synagogue.
I stood alongside the wall and watched the Rebbe speak--not understanding a word--and then, after he got through speaking, he came down and left the room--moving along the wall where I was standing.
He noticed me because I obviously was not one of the typical crowd-not even dressed like anyone else there (wearing a flannel shirt and jeans). He stopped in front of me, took my hand and looked into my eyes for a moment--then moved on.
I have never, before or since, received such a jolt of benevolent power and grace from any other human being. I actually did feel as if I were in the prescence of someone/something larger than just ordinary life.
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My cousin, a Kohen, was married for some time and was not blessed with children. Seeing no hope in sight he and his wife got divorced. Some time after the divorce he found out that his ex-wife is pregnant with their child.
Being that he was a Kohen it would be forbidden for him to remarry his ex-wife who was a divorcee He, being very hurt about the situation, contacted many great Rabbis requesting their advice. To no avail no one had any real solutions. As a last consoles he contacted the secretariat of the Rebbe to make an appointment with the Rebbe.
The Rebbe in the private audience told him to contact his mother and tell her the story. He contacted his mother and crying she told him that he was adopted and was not their child You are not a Kohen and could remarry with your ex-wife
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My encounter with the Rebbe came just months after the demise of my second marriage and the disgraced undoing of my rabbinical career had plunged me into a black hole of depression and despondency.
Accompanied by Rabbis Groner junior and senior, my meeting with the Rebbe lasted a scant half-minute.
"Sometimes," the Rebbe counseled me in Yiddish, "a devoted layperson can do incalculably more good than a rabbi.
"You should teach something, perhaps Talmud, even if it is to one or two people in your living room.
As G-d is my witness, there was the voice of a long-forgotten colleague, a rabbi in suburban Atlanta: "Marc, I've been thinking all Sabbath long. It's a pity you're back in town and not teaching. Would you consider teaching a class, say in Talmud, for my congregation?"
Let the cynics snicker. These are days of miracles and wonders. I mark the first moment of my gradual restoration to sanity and self-respect. And I will forever attribute that to the Rebbe.
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I arrived for Yom Kippur 1979 to Crown Heights. During our stay the apartment we stayed at was robbed of almost everything we had, including an instrument that I needed for my livelihood. Through the instructions given by the Rebbe a collection was taken that made it possible for us to replace the instrument.
What I remember a lot more were the letters from the Rebbe, as the others who saw the letters told me that it was clear that the Rebbe himself had edited them in his own hand, because the marks on the letters were his own and not a secretary's marks.
I was about to lose my place of residence even then when I was living in Israel, and he then told me to seek counsel with knowledgeable friends locally, and more than one, in the letter. I remember the words very clearly. The second letter was sent to me around a year later asking about my welfare, to see if I were all right. By then I had resolved the problem as far as a place to live, and I was not as despondent as I had been before. I remember that the Rebbe was really the only one who did ask about me; my own family didn't seem as concerned!
When the Rebbe was alive, I turned to him for help. His letters to me were kind; I have not found kindness since.
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It was the first International Women's Conference. I was in the front row of the crowd a few feet away from the Rebbe as he explained, in a talk, the origin of Rosh Chodesh the start of the lunar month. I was struck by his smiling face and how it radiated kindness.
Afterwards we lined up to receive a blessing and a dollar from the Rebbe. When it was my turn I couldn't walk the few steps to be in his presence! I felt a real awe and I was afraid to continue in the line!
I still don't understand how this came to me. But he Rebbe blessed me with his soothing words in Yiddish: "It's alright my child." And I was able to walk to receive my crisp new dollar bill take from one of the famous brown grocery bags.
When I left I gave $5 to every charity box held by every person who greeted our exiting throng.
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I met the Lubavitcher Rebbe three times. The first time was when I first came to the United States. I grew up and still remain a Gerrer hasid. When I met with the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he seemed to see a lot of things within me, not only what may have been present, but also my potential and he blessed me that I could reach my potential. He told me a great deal and gave me many pieces of practical advice that I still to this day hold on to very dearly. His way of dealing with me was extraordinary and I truly felt close to him. I wish I could have met him more times and spent time with him because it was like a father and son relationship.
I remember and want to share one amazing statement that I came to realize the meaning of this year: The Lubavitcher Rebbe told me: "You are very scholarly and you possess a great mind. Keep toiling and keep your mind strong. It is unfortunate that you could never be one of my hasidim, a shame, but wherever you are and what ever you do, greatness shall always follow you!" Those words in themselves have lived with me and also the other words he spoke to me. They were and are truly precious. Even though I am a Gerrer, The Rebbe is my rebbe!
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In honor of the Rebbe's yahrtzeit, Id like to share a little known story about this great Tzaddik.
One of my relatives, a very special learned and kind man, Reb Avrum zl, was a Holocaust survivor who lived in the Crown Heights neighborhood of New York after the war. Most of the Polish Chassidic Rebbes and their communities had been wiped out, 'Rachmanah litzlan'. Before the war Reb Avrum z"l had been a chassid of the Alexanderer Rebbe ztl; hardly any of their group survived the war. Every morning at 6:00 AM as he walked to shul along Eastern Parkway to his morning prayers he would meet the Rebbe as he was on his way to 770 [Eastern Pkwy]. Each morning they greeted each other, but the Rebbe always managed to greet him first.
This really bothered my cousin, for he really wanted to fulfill the mitzvah of honoring a Tzaddik and Torah scholar; at the very least he should be the first to greet the Rebbe. So he decided that since the Rebbe usually greeted him from a distance of about ten feet, tomorrow he would say hello to Rebbe from a distance of thirty feet.
The next morning as he saw the Rebbe approaching from the other end of the block he began to visually calculate at what point they would be 30 feet apart. Just as he was about to greet the Rebbe, the Rebbe was already waving to him and smilingly said good morning to him. "Tomorrow Ill say hello from a distance of 50 feet!" he thought. But the same thing happened the next morning at a distance of 50 feet, and the following morning it was the same at a distance of a hundred feet. "Tomorrow i'll say Hello as soon as he turns the corner." sure enough the Rebbe greeted him the next morning just as soon as he turned the corner. Finally my cousin realized that no matter how much he would try, the Rebbe was always conscious of him first, and was there to eagerly greet him first.
The holy Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory, was conscious and caring of every Jewish person; his devotion was total and really taught us that we always have to do more and more until the great day of the complete Redemption, let it be quickly in our days, Amen.
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Although I am a conservative Jew, when I was attending Hebrew High School the class went on a Shabbat weekend to Chabad. That led to me spending several weekends each year at 770, staying with the same young girls I was housed with for that first trip. I celebrated Shabbat, Purim, and also attended a fabrengen. Even from the top balcony I could feel the warmth of the Rebbe. That's what drew me back time after time. Once he even stopped by at a Melave Malke that I attended to greet us. Even at the fabrengen, where I understood virtually nothing, I could "feel" what he was saying -- and I was truly moved by the singing and dancing.
I visited the Rebbes gravesite last year, and could still feel his presence. He continues, in his death, to be an extraordinary man.
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Although I was not fortunate enough to have met the Rebbe in his lifetime, I feel a special and strong connection to him. Here is a story about how the Rebbe affected me even after his passing.
My marriage had been deteriorating and got to the point where it looked like there was no solution. One day I asked my rabbi, who was travelling to the Rebbes ohel, to please add my wife's and my name to his prayers while he was there. That night, I had trouble sleeping and around 3 AM I woke up crying hysterically and with the feeling that I had to do something, ANYTHING to keep my family together. I went to my wife (We were sleeping in seperate beds) and told her that I loved her and that no matter what, I was going to do whatever it took to keep our family together. The strangest thing is that I felt that i had woken up because the Rebbe interceded in Heaven and gave me a "Wake Up Call". When my rabbi returned for the Rebbe's ohel, I asked him at what time he was by the ohel..3AM he responded.
I am totally confident that the Rebbe interceded in Heaven and got we that "Wake Up Call".
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In December of 1986 I found myself living in NYC, trying to find my roots, which led me to Brooklyn. I came from California and was wearing CA "Winter" Clothing. As I was walking down a long street in Crown Height, a middle-aged Lady looked at me and asked Why are you wearing a Summer Coat? I told her that that was all I had. She send me to somebody, and said to mention her name and told them to give me the coat they had and were not using. Once I got there, I found out that they were Cahabd Hasideem, and told me about an Event for Women, called reJEWvenation, which I ended up attending. That is how I came to meet the Rebbe. He was giving out $1 bills to everybody during Hanukkah. I will never forget the kindness in his eyes. But these same piercing blue eyes seemed to look right into my soul. It is a memory I will never forget, and also the kindness shown to me by those who housed the group who was there for the Pegishah. I had the fortune to be at one of the Farbrengens, though I didn't understand much and the Womens Gallery was filled to capacity, I was nontheless deeply impressed with the knowledge of the Rebbe, and his unassuming Personality
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It was right after my bar mitzvah in 1972 and my uncle brought me to the Rebbe for a brocho. It was around 2 AM during kos shel brocho on motzai pesach and the place was packed to the rafters. Not knowing proper protocol , I motioned to the Rebbe to please bend over towards me and give me his ear.The Rebbe smiled and complied , as I was barely 5 feet tall at the time, I asked him for a brocho for my bar mitzvah.. he stood up straight , studied my face for about 5 seconds and said " zulst du oifvaksen to zain a groise lamden". He spoke to me as if I was the only person in the shul.
I'll never ever forget that moment.
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An older couple were in New York in the late 1980s and I had arranged for them to attend a group audience with the Rebbe. One comment made an impact on me - the woman said that after the Rebbe spoke everyone filed past to give the Rebbe a note and receive a dollar to be given to charity. With the 100 or more people in attendance she expected the Rebbe to be giving the dollars out in a casual manner. What struck her was that the Rebbe looked every person in the eye and directed his attention at them individually as they walked past.
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The story that I witnessed personally happened one summer Friday night in 770. [By way of introduction it is well known that the Rebbe was extremely careful to use his time to the fullest. They say that when the Rebbe returned to his room after davening that by the time secretary walked into the room - a few seconds behind the Rebbe - the Rebbe was already seated with a sefer open.] I was davening near the front of shul close to the Rebbe. When davening finished the Rebbe would turn around and say "Good Shabbos" to the people close by and then walk back to his office. On this occassion there was a man and his disabled son (it appeared that he had a mental disability) standing close to the Rebbe. The Rebbe stood and waved at the boy who at first didn't see the Rebbe. It took about 60 seconds for the boy to notice the Rebbe and during this time the Rebbe was standing, waving and smiling at the boy until he was noticed.
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Little did I know that it was the last time I was to see the Rebbe and receive a verbal answer in 1992. Every time I stood in line I would think carefully about the question to ask the Rebbe. There were so many questions to ask- questions about my husband who wasn't observant at that time, questions about shidduchim for our children, questions about parnossa (livlihood) which we didn't have, or questions about health or schools the children should attend, or a bracha for my brother who was in prison for 6 years, etc. So little time and so much to ask for. Just a few more steps and I will be in front of the Rebbe. My heart pounding not to know what to ask first. I finally find myself in front of the Rebbe and the question that came out of my mouth was "I would like to ask the Rebbe for a bracha that my brother should become a free man soon". It even surprised me that I would have asked that particular question. The Rebbe then gave me a dollar for myself accompanied by a bracha, and another dollar for "my husband who should become a free man soon". I learned that one never corrects the Rebbe. After digesting the answer, all of a sudden I had this huge smile on my face. The Rebbe also had this wonderful smile at the same time. After all, my brother was free enough to put on tefillin in prison everyday (provided generously by the Alef Institute in Florida), and had 100 kosher meals per month, and had a rabbi visit him weekly and had provisions and guests for a Kosher Seder in prison. He had books, classes, videos. It was endless. His religious freedoms were in abundance. So who really was the prisoner at that time? My husband finally got a good job in San Diego and was hired by an Orthodox real-estate company where he became property manager. We lived in this building. The main rule was that no one was allowed to work on Shabbos, even non-Jews, even though it was the biggest real estate selling day of the week. If anyone was found working, they were fired. Then my husband was put in charge of the downtown minyan in the building. (Who would ever have imagined this scenario). Then my husband started to put on tefillin for the first time since his Bar Mitzvah and started classes for men in our home in honor of his Hebrew birthday (couldn't believe that move), then it was time to give him the dollar from the Rebbe which I held for a few years. My husband is now an active member of Chabad of University City and a member of Chabad of Downtown San Diego (which was established upon his enthusiasm and encouragement and hard work). So are we free or are we prisoners? We have free will to be whatever we want to be. It's nice to receive a bracha, but it's amazing to see what happens when one takes their bracha and works with it. There are no boundaries or barries to hold back that winning combination.
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I was at 770 Eastern Pkway got on line and waited to see the Rabbi, The way he lookrd and concentrated at me with his eyes showed me he was true man of G-d. I told him some of my troubles; ne listened intensely, and told G-d will hrlp you find your way, and gave me dollar. He told me about giving yo charity G-d will find a way of helpiny you. I was very inspired by his humble and G-dly way. I feel I was blessed by a Holy Man
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My son Avi (as an infant of 11 months) was very ill and in the hospital with an unknown bacterial and viral infection. He was at the next to the last antibiotic in the world and not responding. Rabbi Yitzchok Newman, Dean of the Hebrew Academy Lubavitch first had me replace the mezzuzot in our home. Rabbi Newman sent a message (Refuah Shleyma) to the Rebbe who responded that Avi would get better. That very night Avi turned the corner and the Dr's were at a loss to explain why he began to respond and fight back. I know in my heart that it was the prayers of Rabbi Newman and the power of the Rebbe that interceded in Avi's behalf. The Rebbe OBM, was a true tzaddik.
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Something happened one morning in July in 1974. I had the distinct honor to be invited to the july fabregin at 770 eastern pkwy in crown heights, NY. I saw the most incredible sight a human being could hope to see. I was standing among at least 700-800 chassidim, when in the corner of the room a door swung open. Immediately to me it seemed like moshe rabbenu was present as the chassidim split an aisle wide from the door to a long table with a white table cloth on it and in the center of the table was a large red velvet chair. The Rebbe walks in and the singing started! The floor must have gone up and down 3 ft! Then the Rebbe picked up a glass to drink a lachaim and he looked at me--me!! And said lachaim!! My heart was filled with joy that the rebbe said lachaim to me!! To which I of course returned the blessing. This I will never forget.
The learning and the teaching of the rebbe,ztl, will never be forgotten.
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In June 1967 I had my first yechidus with the Rebbe, prior to getting married. The thing I remeber most is the Rebbe asking me what I was going to do after we were married. I replied that I was going to be a graduate student in chemistry. The Rebbe told me to be careful to balance the two parts of my life, because they will not intersect.
It is now 39 years since that experience. I have yet to meet a frum women who identifies herself as a chemist.
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In '83, after the birth of my fourth daughter, I wrote a letter to the Rebbe begging a blessing that G-d should send us a son. The Rebbe wrote me a beautiful letter (which I still have in my possession), saying I would hear "good news." The next year, in '84, I had a baby boy on the Rebbe's birthday Yud-Aleph Nissan. His Bris was on Chai Nissan Erev Shabbos Chol Hamoed Pesach - the same as the Rebbe so many years before!
We have thank G-d experienced many miracles with this son. When he was born in April 84 there was a "tight cord" around his neck, yet he was born OK and healthy. My husband and I thank G-d for our many blessings, and also we are constantly grateful for the Rebbe's kind words and prayers for our family.
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We were a family with 2 sons, Joshua & Sean. Our beloved Lubavitch neighbours, Yossi & Malke Wilansky, seemed to have inspired my wife & I to add a third child to our family. Understanding at the time we were at an age where our friends looked forward to raising their children & planning retirement, we would be parenting well into our sixties.
Upon hearing that my wife was expecting our third, the responses from friends were not one of delight. Comments like; my wife being in her mid forties had a 1 in 10 chance of giving birth to a baby with Down Syndrome put me in a state of depression. It seemed the only ones now pleased with this pregnancy were our Lubavitch neighbours. Yossi could see my unhappiness & told me to go & get a blessing from the Rebbe. At the time the Rebbe was a picture I saw every time I walked into Yossi's home & why on earth would this Rebbe want to give me a blessing, after all I do not keep a kosher home & do consider myself a sinner in the eyes of the Orthodox Jews. The desire to rid myself of concern with this pregnancy made me finally cave into Yossi's suggestion of getting a blessing from the Rebbe.
I needed a hand to hold so I convinced my 2 sons if they came with me I would take them to a Ranger's hockey game at Madison Square Gardens. Sunday at 770 & there we were in a very long line. How could I expect my 2 very active sons aged 9 & 12 to stay manageable for hours while I prepared myself with only a few words I was told I could say to the Rebbe. Time did seem to go quickly & we didn't know what to expect when ushered in front of the Rebbe. Joshua first in line received the dollar & blessing, next was Sean. What astonished me was the fact that the boys could not take their eyes off the Rebbe. It seemed to me that what a child would do when receiving a crisp US dollar is look at the dollar but their eyes were fixed on the Rebbe. Next was me, who had been practising what I wanted to say for hours, but when my eyes met the Rebbe's eyes something seemed to permeate me which was indeed very strange & nothing could come from my mouth. A dollar, a blessing & ushered out, only to be stopped at the back door where Yossi had me escorted back in front of the Rebbe to say what I could not say before. Well there I am again, eye to eye with the Rebbe & for some strange reason my mouth froze, I found it very difficult to say this simple thing, " my wife in her mid forties is pregnant & could I please have a blessing for her." Finally the words came, I was given a dollar & blessing for my wife & an unexpected dollar & blessing for our unborn child. BOOM something hit me like I've never been hit before or since. The tears flowed, the crying so intense, I couldn't stop, I was out of control. I was afraid the boys would become frightful because this was no ordinary breakdown they were seeing. The next thing I knew, we are out on the street, my sons trying hard to comfort their father when all of a sudden we're grabbed by the hands & in the midst of a horrah with old & young Lubavitch. Yes I could go on forever but I'm sure you want to hear, Liana Sarah Baila (now 15) was born a healthy & beautiful baby. Our love of the Rebbe is eternal.... Olivia, Ron, Joshua, Sean, Liana
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I had broken up with my girlfriend because I didnt feel that I could financily support her. She comes from a rabinical family and her father had arranged for her to marry another.
I was heart broken.
I was living at the time in Venezuela. A chasid whom I used to learn with told me to travel to Brooklyn to speak to the Rebbe. We both went a few ays later. When it was my turn I told the Rebbe the situation . He gave me a a dollar for me and one for my wife and one for my family. This was in 1991 and on that day my girlfriend was getting engaged . I left and told the Chasid that the Rebbe was old and hadnt heard me correctly. My friend said you are already married. 7 days later I was engaged to that same girl and today we have been married for 14 1/2 years.
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My husband (who at the time wasn't Jewish, but later converted) and I were heavily involved in an Indian based cult (TM). I had started to be drawn back to Yiddishkeit, but was in the unenviable position of having a foot in both camps and not knowing which was correct. I wrote a letter to another TM practitioner who I had heard had started to keep some of the mitzvahs to ask him which he thought was right, the Rebbe or the leader of the TM movement. He wrote back saying that each was the highest in his area, but that did not answer my question. So, I wrote a letter to the Rebbe asking him what was the truth. We received a letter back which did not mention my question but said to check our mezuzas and tefillin. At that stage none of my children were old enough to put on tefillin, and we had no mezuzas. We put mezuzas up all over the house, but there was still no change, I still felt pulled both ways, and my husband was still doing TM. One day, a month or so later my husband and myself were standing out the front of our house and we realised that the arch at the front porch did not have a mezuza. When we put that last mezuzah, it sealed the change and everything resolved very quickly. My husband stopped doing TM and I knew that Yiddishkeit was Emes and other issues which had been problems also resolved themselves. Hope you enjoy my story.
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In 1975 I went to Crown Heights to study. My sister had gotten sick with hepatitis in Nov. and was hospitalized in MA. in quarantine, and my parents had had to get immunized. I wrote to the Rebbe for a bracha for a speedy recovery for my sister, and handed it in on a Thursday. The next day, Friday, I travelled home to MA for Shabbat and my sister was out of the hospital. My mother said that suddenly she was better and there was no sign of hepatitis and the doctors don't know what they are talking about.....
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when i was growing up in crown heights we would go as a family once a year for a private audience with the rebbe. i specifically remember going when i was about 6 years old. while we were waiting outside the office for our turn to go in to receive the rebbe's blessings, one of my brothers whispered to me that the rebbe could see right through my forehead and into my brain and would know exactly what i was thinking. i started to cry and refused to go in. my father finally convinced me that the rebbe could not read my mind so i entered the room but stayed in the back behind everyone else, still terrified. i don't remember what the rebbe said to me in particular but i do remember him smiling at me and feeling so relaxed after he got me to come out from behind. he had that power to make people feel special.
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On four occasions, I went to Crown Heights for the sole purpose of meeting the Rebbe.
On one occasion, I arrived with a heavy burden. I was completing a graduate degree, but without a further degree in Education, I had little prospects for a paying job.
At that time, itwas very difficult to get into the Education program. As well, the supervisor of my last research paper was very angry with me because I refused to send money to purchase a book he wished me to read. The book was a revisionist view of history, and the publisher printed a lot of propaganda material on the Holocaust. To make a long story short, he was really giving me a hard time.
When I arrived in New York, I was anxious to be in the presence of the Rebbe. When I came face to face with the Rebbe, I nervously blurted out my sorrows, requesting a blessing for my education. The Rebbe simply said, "Ah, Education," and put down two crisp one dollar bills. I was later told that this represented a "double blessing," and that the Rebbe gave this to me because he sensed my troubles.
My burden was lifted immediately. I felt sure that whatever happened, would happen according to G-d's Will. And so it did. Upon my return to Ottawa, another professor stepped in to assist me. A month later, I was accepted in the Education program. A year later, I was a qualified teacher with a good paying job and an exciting career ahead of me.
When the Rebbe uttered, "Ah, Education," he was not merely echoing my sorrow, he was prophesying the rest of my life. That was 17 years ago, and still education is the heart of my life both as a teacher and as a learner.
I not only received a "double blessing" from the Rebbe, I was doubly blessed for having had the privilege of standing in his presence.
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I began learning about Chabad and the Rebbe when I worked for Chabad of Greater South Bay in Palo Alto, California in the early 1980's. Prior to taking that position, I really didn't know anything about it. I developed tremendous respect for the Rebbe by seeing the amount of work that he engaged in and encouraged the Shluchim to do. The projects were worthwile and ambitious.
Over the years I witnessed how the Rebbe responded to never-ending requests for B'rochas from all types of people. His responses were always pleasant, accepting and loving.
When I visited the Rebbe for dollars the first time, I was struck by the way he looked directly at me and spoke to me -- and all the hustle and bustle of tens of people ahead of me and behind me just got blocked out. For the few moments that I stood before the Rebbe, the world stopped. It was as though time and sound stood still. It was incredibly powerful. You could feel the Rebbe's focus. It was palpable. Later I learned that when the Rebbe was asked how to deal with feeling overwhelmed, he answered that you have to focus intently on what you're doing at the moment.
I'm very grateful that I had an opportunity to see the Rebbe face-to-face. Now, when I go to the Ohel and I daven, I feel the same ability to focus on my prayers and what is really most important.
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I lived in Crown Heights on Eastern Parkway two blocks away from the World Headquarters of the Lubavitch Movement. My experince with Rebbe was one Simchat Torah when I was able to enter the Sanctuary and watch the profound respect that was given to the Rebbe. Not one person took a sip of his Schapps until acknowledged by the blinking of the Rebbe's eyes, be it by sip by sip!!!! Person by Person. I found this to be one of the most rewarding feelings in my life time. I was a young man at the time probably just turning 13. I have since moved from my beloved Crown Heights and still try to visit the place that has inspired me for many years.
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in 1987 our son joshua gedalie was born with bicuspid aortic valve.i was very frightened thinking he will get worse and would need a valve replacement.we decided to visit the rebbe.i asked the rebbe to place a brachea on my son so that his defect would not go to the severe stage.so he blessed joshua,gave us 4 dollars and we thanked him.today joshua is almost 20 years old and his heart defect has remained in the mild stage as from infancy.he works and goes to college.i know that this is because of hashem working through the rebbe. thank you.
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My father was a stoic, I never saw him cry. When he reached the age of seventy his employer forced him to retire. My father decided to finally spend several hours a day studying Torah at the Lubavitch yeshiva in Miami. Young Yeshiva boys would join him and try to help him study. He had wanted to study when he was young but after the war the economy in Tunis was in shambles. The French government at that time decided that to kick start the economy, the best method their dwarfed economic minds could think of was to declare any loan made by a Jew to an Arab to be null and void. My grandfather and my great grandfather went instantly bankrupt, after having helped many Arabs survive the war by lending them money. My father had to work, and postpone his major Jewish and secular education to provide for his father, and to marry off his four sisters. When he reached age seventy he started with tremendous determination to learn the weekly Parasha that is read each week in the synagogue with Rashi’s commentary.
One day, after leaving the yeshiva, my father was hit by car driven by a teenager who failed to stop at a red light. When I found out what happened, I called my father, and asked him how he was. I was shocked by the response, my father was crying! Daddy, I screamed, is it hurting so badly? No, my son, he said, I am crying because I cannot put on Tefillin. If I move my left arm in any way, it kills! Well I said to him, I have good news for you, you can still put on Tefillin on your head. You see the Mitzvot, or commandments, to put on Tefillin on the arm and the head are two separate commandments and one can fulfill them separately. One mitzva is for the Tefillin on the arm to affect and control our emotions and feel love and fear of G-d. The other mitzva is to ask G-d to help our brain understand and digest the Torah. I asked someone to help put on Tefillin on my father’s head and he was overjoyed. How many people would cry if they could not put on Tefillin?
A few days later, on Thursday, my father asked me to go and ask the Lubavitcher Rebbe who was giving out “Dollars” on the next Sunday for a blessing for his health that was not improving. When I joined the line of about ten thousand people, all there to ask for the Rebbe’s blessings, I was confused as to whom to ask for a blessing for. My daughter, Devorah, was in Israel at that time studying at a Jewish seminary. My mother had suffered a heart attack a few month before, and my financial situation was in terrible shape. I decided to dedicate the 2 seconds I had to request a blessing for my father’s health only. The Rebbe gave me a blessing and a dollar for my father for a very quick recovery, and then as I had started leaving the Rebbe called me back and gave me a second dollar and blessing “For the whole family”. The Rebbe sees every person’s needs, deep inside us. As a Tzaddik, and Rebbe of our generation he prays for us every day now for the era of Moshaich to be fully revealed. I looked at my watch after receiving a blessing for my father, it was 4:00 p.m. and I had plenty of time to catch the bus back to Toronto at 6:00 p.m.
The next day, Monday, I called the doctor in Miami to find out how my father was. The doctor’s voice was very stern. We almost lost your father yesterday, he said. All the vital signs started failing one after the other. Around 4:00 p.m. I thought it was over, and I don’t know what happened, but all of a sudden he came back. I really don’t know what happened, but I am glad he recovered! I told the doctor about the Rebbe’s blessing yesterday and he listened and said, I have heard about the Lubavitcher Rebbe also, only his blessing could have changed things like that at 4:00 yesterday!
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My friend and I, ten year old kids, were in the same line for dollars, and we both wanted to ask the Rebbe for a blessing for a classmate with Cystic Fibrosis. We decided that since he was older, he would ask the Rebbe for a dollar for our friend, and I would simply ask for a blessing. We got separated, and when it was my turn, I asked for a blessing and began to move on, not expecting the Rebbe to respond more than the usual "blessing and success". The Rebbe’s aide, Rabbi Groner, called back and to my surprise, the Rebbe was handing me a second dollar, with the instruction, "This is for the sick boy." When I found my friend outside, he, too, had two dollars - but the Rebbe's instructions to him were different - "This is for the family." After a few moments of confusion, we realized that the Rebbe gave both of us a job - he gave me the dollar to deliver to our sick friend, and he gave him a dollar for HIS family - which had not come to NY due to the birth of a new sibling. The Rebbe "split up the jobs" and made us both have a responsibility and feel important.
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My wife had gone through a series of miscarriages, one being an ectopic pregnancy, where she lost a tube and the remaining one was blocked with scar tissue making it impossible for her to conceive. All of the best specialists told us to be thankful we already had a son and that would be our family.
Well, long story short, my friend and Rabbi, asked if we would like to meet the Rebbe and 'receive a dollar.'
My wife and I agreed and after waiting on line we finally were face to face with this 'Giant' of a man. The penetrating eyes communicating both his strength and his tenderness. Well when my wife Barbara approached the Rebbe to receive her dollar, the Rebbe looked her in the eyes and without anything being said prior, said "this year you will have a son"
Well that child whom the experts said could never be, just turned 18, a wonderful Jewish boy and will be attending New York University this fall.
Thank you Rebbe, you are always in our thoughts and hearts.
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Upon visiting the Ohel of the late Rebbe (may his Soul rest in peace), I met an Afro-american woman who proceeded to tell me that she had a great connection with the Rebbe. I asked her to tell me about it. She said her son was very ill and since she lived near 770 she heard that she could ask the Rebbe for a blessing for her son. Her son totally recovered and she became a devoted believer of the Rebbe. Several years later, her apartment in Brooklyn (very close to 770) caught fire. She was awakened by flames and managed to escape. The apartment was burned to ashes and the only thing that survived the fire was the picture of the Rebbe on the wall, totally untouched.
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While waiting in line for a blessing and a dollar from The Rebbe, of blessed memory, I pondered on which of the 2 questions would be the one I asked. I'll never forget the immense power & energy as I approached him excited, yet shaking. I asked if I should marry the man I am dating. He gave me 3 dollars, said "you will do the right thing" and answered my unasked question! My friends all left with $1.00, why 3, I wondered? After 2 short marriages with no children, swearing to never get married again, I met and married my "third dollar" and we have 2 beautiful children!
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My son Rabbi Bruce Bromberg Seltzer came to see the Rebbe for Sabbath he handed him 2 dollars and asked him to teach his retarded brother how to give charity we are very, very proud to have had this contact with the Rebbie!
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More than thirty years ago when I was searching for a better environment in which to raise our children than where we were living in an upper middle class New Jersey suburb, I had the opportunity to relocate in a small rural town on the coast of Maine. I loved everything about it-the landscape, the people, the values and especially the house on the ocean-except that it was totally lacking a Jewish community. Though I was not observant, I was very committed to raising my children as Jews. I was all too aware of the very real risk that they would abandon the faith that I felt a very solemn obligation to sustain.
As I wrestled with my dilemma, a friend suggested that I write to the Rebbe for his advice. From his very inspiring response, I felt that he was encouraging the move to Maine. During the following years as I realized that my children would only retain their Judaism following my example, I became more observant. I looked for other Jewish families with which to celebrate the holidays and moved to Bangor, Maine during the winter months so two of my children could attend the wonderful Hebrew day school there.
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My son Renato at 28 years old was going through the hardship of Hodgkin Disease, and the desperation of the unknown, and decided to meet the rabbi, he with his friend waited patiently on a long line to meet with him.
My son described the Rebbe as a mystical persona and soft presence, he listened to him and his request. With a softness in his voice, he told him you will be well, you will be cured and my son kissed his hand and the rabbi blessed him.
My son survived a stem cell transplant and now is now 45 years old and has been blessed with 3 beautiful kids.
In memory of that day, thank you Rebbe for your blessing.
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I remember my brother Brian Alfred Bender Isaacs (South Africa) telling me that he had met the Rebbe and that the Rebbe shook his hand. The most meanin gful thing in his life. My brother passed on but I wanted to record this.
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I am now 18 years old, attending a prestigious University, shaping my beliefs, both Jewish and secular that I will hold with me the rest of my life. Recently, a Chabad opened up on our campus and I am proud to say I am a board member, actively recruiting Jews on campus to find the light of Judaism, with the directional help and guidance of Chabad. Were it not for The Rebbe, I don't think I would be here today. There are many stories like mine, but I feel that I must share this one: My parents emigrated from Russia in the early 1980s, not religious at all, barely acknowledging their Jewish faith. Slowly, with the births of my brother and oldest sister, they realized that they wanted to raise their children in a Jewish home. They got involved with Chabad, and quickly developed an enormous relationship with Chabad, and their Jewish roots. When my mother was pregnant with me, she had severe internal bleeding problems. She did not know the sex of the child, and despite her visits to all of the top doctors in the area, no diagnosis was able to be made, and she received the unfortunate news that her child would most probably not make it. On a sunday she went to The Rebbe, and after waiting to receive a dollar, she finally got her time with The Rebbe, Before she said anything, he said to her in Russian, here is a dollar for you, and here is a dollar for your son, who will be just fine. The next day, Monday, my mother woke up pain-free. A few weeks later I was born, named Menachem Mendel after one of the most amazing people to ever live. Now, I attempt to actively utilize every opportunity to live in the ways of The Rebbe, spread the words and ideas of The Rebbe, and be thankful for everything that I have. I am forever indebted to The Rebbe of blessed memory, and hope that Moshiach will come soon, and reunite all Jews, of the past, present, and future.
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In the late 1970's our family was able to have a private audiance with the Rebbe .
My sisters and I had been lighting Sabbath candles for some years but, our Mother had been trying to get us to light a bit earlier so that we would be on time. Unfortunately we would end up lighting into the 18 minutes and it well wasn't such a good thing.
When it came our turn to receive dollars from the Rebbe , we approached his desk.
He very gently asked us if we lit Sabbath candles? We said yes and he repeated his question a few times. And then handed us each 2 dollars with a smile. I remember that we somehow realized that he new we weren't lighting on time and was reinforcing the importance of lighting on time by asking his question a few times.
Till this day, I tell my daughters about how the Rebbe gently reminded us and if he took the time to do that, it is very important to light on time and not come to be on Sabbath.
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I alive today because of The Rebbe.
I was born at 7 months, in a hospital near Kfar Chabad. I was not able to breathe on my own. My parents were told that I have no chance. A woman happened to be at the hospital and took my mom to Kfar Chabad. They phoned The Rebbe (it was just after midnight on Shabbat). My mom was told by The Rebbe that I will be fine and that I have a blessing. I'm 30 now, and breathing.
Thank you Rebbe!
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