After further speeches, additional press interviews, and more presentations of flowers to Mrs. Jaffe, we eventually took off from Newark Airport, New Jersey at 9:30 p.m.

The homeward journey took far less time than the outward flight, as we did not stop at Gander, Newfoundland. We had appetizing and delicious hot meals, dinner and breakfast, and we all sang the bentching together. Sermons were given and Tehillim was said. Dayan Golditch gave a Gemora shiur. Rabbi Unsdorfer read out the Rebbe's sicha from our early morning welcome. (This had been translated into English and printed into a booklet.) I presented every passenger with this booklet and a yarmulke on behalf of “Lubavitch.” The time passed quickly - we lost five hours right away by setting our watches forward to English time. Soon it was daylight and every man and boy put on tefillin and davened. It was a wonderful sight. The aisle was full of men davening with tefillin. One stewardess mentioned, “It's very interesting; but what about the women?”

We landed in Shannon, Ireland and bought duty-free cigarettes and liquors again. At 4:00 p.m. we arrived back in Manchester.

About two hundred people came to meet us. The first one out of customs was Martin Weinberg with only his briefcase in hand. One bystander expressed surprise that a man should travel all the way to America for 2½ weeks, and take only a briefcase!

A few days after we returned, I received a letter of appreciation from one of the travelers. He wrote:

After all the excitement of my trip, my first visit to the new world, my return home and getting down with my family, I have been reliving all my experiences and quietly taking stock, and I now realize my extreme indebtedness to you.

This trip would certainly not have been possible for me without your vision, your faith and you persistence against obstacles.

My most grateful thanks.

Indeed, it was the end of a perfect holiday, but certainly not a restful vacation. All the members were so pleased that they wanted to book straight away, en bloc, for a future trip.

To me, the most rewarding feature was hearing people who had been away for over two weeks - holiday making, visiting relatives and friends, seeing many interesting places and wonderful sights - exclaim in no uncertain terms that the one thing they would always remember, the most stimulating, inspiring and lasting impression they had was the few minutes they had spent with the Rebbe.

One and all were unanimous on this point. Many informed me of their decision to try and keep more mitzvos in the future.