David and Gail Goldberg were married in 1965. By 1969, Gail had delivered two stillborn babies, and had been warned by her doctors not to consider another pregnancy.

She and her husband desired children, however, and began to consider the possibility of adoption. Gail’s brother had been in contact with Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Hecht of Chicago. Although at that time he was not observant, David wanted to know whether the Jewish tradition included any restrictions with regard to adoption, and what the pertinent laws were. Before contacting the adoption authorities, he decided to sit down with Rabbi Hecht.

Rabbi Hecht was friendly, and provided a great deal of relevant information. But then he asked why David was thinking about adopting children when there was a chance to have his own? As David looked at him incredulously, Rabbi Hecht told him that many childless couples had been helped by the Rebbe’s blessings.

The Goldbergs didn’t understand: “Who is the Rebbe?” they wanted to know. What were they to do? Rabbi Hecht promised to arrange a personal meeting with the Rebbe, at which they should request a blessing for children.

The Goldbergs were willing to try. At yechidus, the Rebbe told them: “You shall have a boy and a girl. Conceive them in love, raise them in Yiddishkeit, and come back in a year with good news.”

Within a year, their first son was born. A few years later, they were blessed with a girl.