Late at night, on June 14th, 1927, the Sixth Rebbe—Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, of righteous memory—was arrested by the Soviet Secret police and taken to prison. As shocking as it was, it was hardly a surprise. As the acknowledged leader of the Jews in the Soviet Union and beyond, he was a fearless advocate for upholding Jewish traditions and the freedom for Jews to live and worship in accordance with the Torah—a thorn in the side of Stalin's ruthless march toward the Marxist utopia.

On the 12th of Tammuz he was given the news that he was free to return home and resume his holy work.

As word spread, Jews all over flocked to synagogues to pray, and activists from Latvia to the United States began advocating on his behalf.

The Rebbe's death sentence was commuted in favor of 10 years of hard labor, which was then further reduced to exile. The Rebbe was swiftly transported to far-off Kostroma, where he was to remain, isolated and under close surveillance, for 3 years.

Then, less than two weeks later, on the 12th day of the month of Tammuz—which was also his 47th Hebrew birthday, he was given the news that he was free to return home and resume his holy work.

The miracle of his release is celebrated annually by Chassidim as a "day of liberation" with Chassidic gatherings, inspiration, and joy.