During the 60s, the Rebbe sent several chassidim to Russia as tourists. In some cities, they would have clandestine meetings with members of the chassidic underground. In other places, however, such meetings were too dangerous. Nevertheless, the Rebbe instructed his shluchim to pass through these cities and stop at the synagogues and places of Jewish interest.

Years later, after being able to leave Russia, one of the members of the Lubavitch community explained how important those visits were.

“In our city,” he explained, “none of us had a chance to speak to the shliach. It was not until months later that we knew for sure that it was the Rebbe who had sent him. Nevertheless, his visit had a tremendous effect on us.

“The Russian government had begun a campaign to try to demoralize us. From time to time, it would call in members of the chassidic community and show them headlines from American Jewish newspapers and magazines which spoke of assimilation and intermarriage. ‘Your faith is doomed to extinction,’ they told us. ‘In Europe, your brethren have been wiped out and in America, they have forgotten their heritage. Why must you be so stubborn in your observance?’

“And their words had an effect, not that we believed them totally. But still, when you read an American Yiddish newspaper that speaks of ‘the vanishing American Jew,’ you become disheartened.

“And suddenly we saw evidence that it was not all that dark in America. There was a young American wearing a yarmulka and tzitzis and sporting a full beard! It reinforced our faith in the future.”