Fourth Yechidus

We returned to New York on Tuesday morning, Teves 5 (January 5). A second yechidus with the Rebbe had been arranged for 11:00 that evening. We were due to leave for home on the Queen Elizabeth the following morning.

Rabbi Shemtov and his sons, Mendel and Avrohom, accompanied us to 770. Rabbi Chodakov gave us the silver dollars for Chanukah gelt which he had obtained from the Rebbe on our behalf.

Rabbi Shemtov was really excited and delighted when he saw – thank G‑d – all our family entering the Rebbe‘s study together.

The Rebbe again stood up and extended us a wonderful welcome. Avrohom and Hindy remained standing during the ten minutes or so they were present.

I thanked the Rebbe for the Chanukah gelt and handed him an envelope containing the $150. Avrohom had saved this amount by not flying to New York to collect his dollar. The Rebbe remarked that this was not my money. It belonged to Avrohom who had to give it to charity. The Rebbe handed the cash to Avrohom and instructed him to give it to Rabbi Chodakov and to ensure he received a receipt in his own name, too.

The Rebbe asked Hindy whether she would be prepared to spend a year or two in Brooklyn. Hindy replied with an emphatic, unhesitating “YES.” Hindy‘s new friend, Debbie, had created a most wonderful impression on her. “She is a fire,” said the Rebbe. The Rebbe wished Hindy much success and good health and then the children left the room.

The Rebbe was extremely interested in the American sideline I had gotten into. The Rebbe told me, “you will make plenty of money.”

The Rebbe reminded me how worried I was last year about Avrohom‘s future, and asserted that I had no cause to worry any more. The Rebbe then said again that I would make plenty of money.

We discussed various other matters, and as Rabbi Shemtov was waiting his turn to enter for yechidus and we had been 45 minutes with the Rebbe, we took our leave with more beautiful brochos and good wishes ringing in our ears for good news from all the family. I told the Rebbe that I hoped I would be seeing the Rebbe again very soon!

When we were leaving 770, all sang the new niggun, Uforatzto, dancing with the bochurim, and we reluctantly parted from the 770.

The following morning Rabbi Shemtov came to the ship to wish us farewell. He had spoken to the Rebbe after we had left yechidus and he was delighted. The Rebbe told him that I would, please G‑d, make a lot of money, but I must not fail to give the due amount to tzedakah. Rabbi Shemtov implied that the Rebbe seemed to be very pleased with our visit!

We had a pleasant, restful and leisurely voyage home. Just how leisurely can be deduced from the fact that we arrived at Cherbourg, France on Monday, Teves 11, 5720 (January 11, 1960) at eight in the morning and then drifted the few miles across the channel to Southampton, where we arrived at 10:00 p.m. All passengers stayed aboard overnight.

We arrived home the next day at 4 in the afternoon.