The Rebbe’s Care for The Young Shluchim

In connection with the Kinus Hashluchim, A Chasssidisher Derher presents a collection of sichos, horaos and personal stories about young children who grew up on the front lines.

In connection with the Kinus Hashluchim, A Chasssidisher Derher presents a collection of sichos, horaos and personal stories about young children who grew up on the front lines.

This collection gives us a window into the unique relationship the shluchim’s children had with the Rebbe, and the special attention the Rebbe showered these cherished children with.

It has also been transformed into audio form for kids! Click here to listen.

What It’s All About

On Yud Shevat 5711 the Rebbe laid out the task; our responsibility and our distinct privilege, the novelty of our generation—dor hashvi’i. Shlichus became the main focus of Chassidus Chabad, heeding the Rebbe’s unrelenting call to reach each and every single Jew throughout the world.

Shluchim today bring the truth of Yiddishkeit and the maayanos haChassidus to the furthest reaches of the universe, ultimately creating the dira betachtonim for the Aibershter with the coming of Moshiach.

The Rebbe’s army of shluchim— men, women and children—who dedicate their lives to fulfill the Rebbe’s mission, merited a unique relationship with the Rebbe.

The care and concern the Rebbe showered the shluchim with, knew no bounds. At the farbrengens during the Kinus Hashluchim, the Rebbe blessed the shluchim with an abundance of brachos.

For example: At the farbrengen of the Kinus Hashluchim in 5747, the Rebbe wished the shluchim, “Aside from hatzlacha in the shlichus, may you merit to see hatzlacha in personal matters as well; healthy children, healthy grandchildren, good shidduchim, and to be blessed with all the brachos.”

At the Kinus in 5748, when speaking passionately of the brachos given to shluchim, the Rebbe went a step further saying: “As is evident by all those who went on shlichus 10 or 20 years ago, they have all established families with sons and daughters going in the ways of Torah and mitzvos.”

Aside from concern for the success of the mosdos, the Rebbe showed unique concern for the shluchim’s personal life, and for the children of shluchim in particular.

Rabbi Nosson Gourary served for many years as the Rebbe’s shliach to Buffalo, New York. Rabbi Gourary relates: “At one point during our first year of shlichus, I merited to enter into the Rebbe’s room for yechidus. The Rebbe gave me a tremendous bracha that I should make a dira batachtonim in the city of Buffalo and the surrounding cities.

Then, the Rebbe concluded: “the essential point of everything, is to have Chassidishe nachas from your children.”

The Rebbe sees a shliach’s success with his children’s education and the success in his shlichus as one and the same.

Rabbi Chaim Yehuda Jacobs, the shliach to Glasgow, Scotland, once wrote to the Rebbe of the many challenges they were faced with at the time. In a lengthy answer that the Rebbe wrote to him describing the success they have had on shlichus, the Rebbe emphasized their children: “Hashem has blessed them with sons and daughters going in the ways of Torah and mitzvos, a source for true gratification.”

They Too Are Shluchim!

Over the years, the Rebbe made it clear that the children of shluchim aren’t merely the children of the shliach, rather the children are themselves shluchim.

At the farbrengen of Yud Shvat 5736, the Rebbe spoke of the shluchim who were headed to Eretz Yisroel. Among other topics, the Rebbe discussed a novelty in this shlichus; that men, women, and children were being sent as shluchim. The Rebbe explained that this—empowering women and girls, as well as children— was one of the great innovations of the Frierdiker Rebbe. This was why he— the Rebbe—had ensured to choose men, women, and children; in order to represent all three demographics.

Additionally, the Rebbe’s letters to the shluchim after they left were addressed to “The shluchim: men, women, and children, shlit”a.”

At the farbrengen of Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel 5741, the Rebbe spoke about the Kinus Hashluchim that would be taking place in Eretz Yisroel the following week. The Rebbe said:

“The above is relevant to the shluchos as well, for they were sent together with their husbands, to fulfill the shlichus of spreading Yiddishkeit wherever they may be… “As well, this is relevant to the children who were brought out on shlichus. Although it may seem that the need to educate one’s own children can detract from spreading Yiddishkeit, the truth of the matter is that the

two do not contradict each other, and a shliach has the capacity to do both.

“Since the children were included in the shlichus, surely they will be brought to the Kinus together with their parents…”

In a sicha a few years later, the Rebbe spoke of the kinusim which take place in America, that they too should include the women and the children.

In one of the sichos at the farbengen of Simchas Torah 5739, the Rebbe spoke of the shluchim, saying that those shluchim who were present should say l’chaim, as well as relatives of shluchim who weren’t.

Rabbi Edelman from Morocco was at the farbrengen together with his young son. The Rebbe instructed the boy to say l’chaim too, since “he is also a shliach.”

In many exchanges with shluchim moving out, after giving them his bracha, the Rebbe would often point to the child, or even the baby, and ask “He/she is going too?” and then give a bracha for the shlichus to the child as well. Many of these exchanges can be seen in videos of dollars. In some instances the Rebbe specified that by the child behaving in a Yiddishe manner, he is setting an example for other children in their city.

The same is evident with the Rebbe’s instructions to produce the Sefer Hashluchim—that it shouldn’t be only of Chabad Houses and so on, rather an album of the shluchim and their families; men, women and children.

Watching Closely From Afar

Throughout the history of shlichus,one of the greatest challenges a couple moving out on shlichus may face, is the upbringing of their children. In many cases, their decision to move to

a city distant from a Lubavitcher community, leaves the children to grow up in a foreign environment without many of the comforts of home; sometimes even without a suitable situation for a proper Yiddishe and Chassidishe education.

Rabbi Velvel Schildkraut was sent on shlichus by the Frierdiker Rebbe to New Haven, Connecticut. As his children began to grow up, he started worrying about what would be with their education. It was in the very early years of the Rebbe’s nesius, and when he was in yechidus he expressed his concern to the Rebbe. The Rebbe responded firmly that since he is on the [Frierdiker] Rebbe’s shlichus, everything will be okay with their education. “If so,” said Rabbi Schildkraut, “I wish to place the responsibility of their chinuch on the Rebbe’s shoulders!” The Rebbe calmly replied, “Nu, I’m accepting.”

Rabbi Levi Garelik relates: “Growing up on shlichus [in Milan, Italy] was a tremendous zechus. Although we were thousands of miles away from 770, I remember always feeling close to the Rebbe. This feeling of closeness was not for no reason. In a manner not very common, I received several letters from the Rebbe for my birthdays starting from when I was four

years old! As a matter of fact, in honor of my bris, the Rebbe sent my parents a letter, but with something else very special – a five dollar bill! Although the Rebbe did not write what it was for, my parents understood it to be for demei kedimah (advance tuition payment). This was very significant. Five dollars is the amount the Rebbe would give when he was the sandek at a bris.

“The Rebbe was involved in very minor details of our upbringing. For instance, before one Chof Av, when my father was planning a trip to the Rebbe, he had in mind to take me along. Before he left Italy, my father received a telegram from New York in which the Rebbe wrote “for the little one, such a trip is not advisable.” I was less then one year old at the time.

“One year in the month of Elul, my father was in New York (from Chof Av) and the Rebbe gave my father machzorim for the whole family. “A few years later, when my family was visiting the Rebbe, before leaving back Rabbi Hodakov called us into the Rebbe’s room for yechidus. I later

learned that for most of that yechidus the Rebbe was speaking with my mother regarding my education.”

Special Attention Up Close

Rabbi Hirshel Raskin relates: “In the earlier years, children of shluchim experienced many kiruvim from the Rebbe, especially when visiting the Rebbe in New York. Over time, it became apparent that the Rebbe really appreciated when shluchim would bring their children to be with the Rebbe in 770.

“My father, Rabbi Leibel Raskin, was one of the Rebbe’s shluchim to Morocco. Each time when traveling to the Rebbe, he would bring along another one of his children. During these trips, my siblings and I experienced special attention from the Rebbe. For instance, my brother Yitzchok once lost his shoe during hakafos on Simchas Torah. In yechidus following Yom Tov, the Rebbe asked him if he had found his shoe.

“Tishrei 5733 was the first time my father brought me to the Rebbe. On Hoshaanah Rabbah, we got in line to receive lekach from the Rebbe. When it was my turn, the Rebbe gave me a piece of lekach and then said to me: “make a bracha and I will answer amen.” I was just a five-year-old boy, and the Rebbe stopped the line to interact with me!

“On the night of Simchas Torah, the Rebbe davened Maariv in the upstairs zal. I remember when the Rebbe entered, I was sitting on my father’s shoulders. While encouraging the singing, the Rebbe motioned to me in particular.

“The next time I came to the Rebbe was for Yud-Aleph Nissan 5737. One day, I was playing in the chatzer when the Rebbe opened his window shade and noticed me there. A moment later, Rabbi Leibel Groner came outside with a Tanya in his hands. He said that the Rebbe saw you, and instructed me to give you this Tanya, that you should sit down and learn from it. Immedi- ately, I sat down with my uncle, Reb Dovid Raskin, in his office and we learned Perek 32.

“Generally speaking, the Rebbe took great concern for the shluchim’s children. We knew this first hand; when we were very young, my father educated us that we must write to the Rebbe. Over the years my brothers and I received letters from the Rebbe in response to our letters.

“When my brother Yitzchok was having his bar mitzvah, my parents weren’t able to travel to New York and attend. My brother was alone in New York, and the Rebbe was involved in the arrangements for his bar mitzvah, so much so that the Rebbe laid out who should speak and so on.”

Rabbi Mendel Feller of Minnesota relates: “I remember as a child, whenever we were in 770 and the Rebbe would see me, he would make a gesture to me, indicating that he saw me, as if to give extra attention.

“My mother related to me that when I was a very small child, she was once walking along Eastern Parkway with me in the stroller. The Rebbe was walking on the other side of the street, and when he saw us he stopped and waved to me for a long while I was waving back—across Eastern Parkway!

“The most unique interaction I would have with the Rebbe during those years was in yechidus after Shabbos Bereishis. Each year, before heading back to Minnesota, we would go into the Rebbe’s room for yechidus. I was a young child at the time. The Rebbe would call me over to his desk, open his drawer and take out one or two silver dollars, and say: ‘Since I won’t see you on Chanukah, I will now give you Chanukah gelt.’ Remember, this was in Tishrei, around

two months before Chanukah. This repeated itself on a yearly basis.”

Rabbi Levi Garelik recalls: “On my first trip to the Rebbe, I was seven years old. This was the first time since my parents were sent to Italy that our whole family came to 770. We came on 18 Kislev 5728. On this trip, we brought the Tanya with Italian translation which was hot off the press.

“Naturally, we wanted to see the Rebbe at our first opportunity. We waited outside 770 in the evening, when the Rebbe was expected to leave for his home. When the Rebbe came out of 770 and began walking towards us, we said the bracha Shehecheyanu out loud, and the Rebbe answered amen. I then walked over and handed the Rebbe the Tanya. The Rebbe took it with both hands, looked to see what it was, and said ‘adank’.

“On Shabbos, during the Rebbe’s farbrengen, I was sitting on a box to the Rebbe’s right, behind the Rashag. After one of the sichos, I suddenly realized people pointing at me, and saying ‘Go, go, the Rebbe is calling you.’ I looked up and saw the Rebbe smiling at me. I walked over, and the Rebbe handed me a piece of cake.

“On one of the nights of Chanukah, we were in 770 when the Rebbe was davening Maariv. Heading back to his room, the Rebbe stopped in the hallway and gave my mother silver dollar coins as Chanukah gelt for her children. Being that I was present, the Rebbe gave me mine in my hand.

One day, we were heading to Pittsburgh to visit my grandparents. In order to catch the flight, we needed to leave 770 exactly at 3:30, so instead of going into the shul for Mincha, I stayed with my mother in the hallway. As it turned out, after Mincha we still hadn’t left yet and the Rebbe called me over and asked me ‘why didn’t you daven Mincha with my minyan?’”

Coming to Learn by the Rebbe

Rabbi Lazer Gurkow recalls: “My parents were sent on shlichus to Boston, Massachusetts, where I grew up. I was a very young boy, only six years old, when my parents sent me away from home to learn in Crown Heights, and I lived with my grandparents.

“Years later, when I myself had a six-year-old child, I asked my mother how she had the courage to send me away from home at such a tender age. Personally, I wasn’t able to imagine doing the same thing with my child.

“Her response was a tremendous surprise. ‘We didn’t choose that, we were following the Rebbe’s directives,’ she said. I was taken aback, really? Could that even be?

“My mother then explained to me that she would regularly report to the Rebbe about her children, and the Rebbe would answer and guide her what to do with each child. Among other things, the Rebbe would guide her when it was time to send each child to learn in Crown Heights. Once I was studying away from home, the Rebbe continued to request reports. The Rebbe wanted a complete report on a regular basis with details of how I was studying, and so on.

“I was shocked when I heard this, I had never heard any of this. As a child, and later a bochur in 770, I never noticed the Rebbe do anything out of the ordinary that would indicate to me that he knew me more personally than anyone else. Only later in life did I learn that not only had my parents told the Rebbe everything about me, but the Rebbe himself asked to know everything about me.”

Rabbi Mendel Hecht relates: “I grew up on shlichus in Eilat. Every year, my father would travel to the Rebbe for Shavuos. Once I was old enough, my father would take me along. When we traveled to the Rebbe for Shavuos 5749, I started telling my father that I wanted to stay and learn near the Rebbe in New York, but my father was reluctant. He felt that I was too young to be so far away from home. This discussion between us kept going back and forth.

“At one point, we went to the Rebbe for dollars. The Rebbe first gave my father a dollar. Then, pointing at me the Rebbe asked my father ‘Is he staying here?’ Immediately, my father replied ‘Yes.’ I was overjoyed! Whatever doubt we had was now gone.

“After Yom Tov, there was a yechidus for the guests who came for Shavuos. My father suggested that I join him for this yechidus, because it was unclear as to how long I was going to stay in New York. When we came over to the Rebbe to give our pan, I went first, and the Rebbe said to my father ‘isn’t he staying here?!’ As if to say, why was I at a yechidus that was intended only for guests? This whole episode showed me the personal relationship the Rebbe

had with the shluchim, and particularly with their children.”

Rabbi Michoel Alperin relates: “I was born and grew up in Brazil, where the Rebbe sent my parents on shlichus. Growing up, I didn’t have extended family or friends of a similar background nearby. Communication in those days was nothing like it is today. As a result, I often felt very lonely and dejected. My parents would encourage me to be happy with the merit of serving as the Rebbe’s shliach, and to not pay too much attention to the challenges.

“My bar mitzvah was in 5744, and my parents suggested I travel to Crown Heights to study, where I would find other Lubavitch boys my age to be friends with. I was very excited to make the trip.

“Unfortunately, once I arrived in Crown Heights, I was very disappointed, to say the least. The local children were not very welcoming, nor did they show any sensitivity to my situation. They made me feel like an outsider and I was feeling very let down.

“One Motzei Shabbos, the Rebbe was saying Kiddush Levana, and I was standing not too far away. Suddenly, the Rebbe looked up from his siddur, turned around and said to me ‘Shalom aleichem.’ In a shy tone I answered, ‘Aleichem shalom.’ At that moment I realized that the Rebbe was fully aware of my situation, and was giving me strength to move forward. From then on, I felt so close to the Rebbe, I would always try to stand as close as possible, especially during Kiddush Levana. Over the next few months, the Rebbe said to me ‘Shalom aleichem’ another six times.”

Rabbi Garelik: “After I finished fifth grade, my parents felt that they had no choice and that it was time to send me away from home, to learn in a proper cheder. They asked the Rebbe if it was time for me to come study in New York and the Rebbe suggested that for the time being I should study near my family. So my parents sent me to my grandparents Rabbi and Mrs. Posner (and my aunt and uncle Rabbi and Mrs. Deren) in Pittsburgh.”

“Overall, whether it was during the occasional few weeks we spent in New York, or while we were on the other side of the Atlantic, the Rebbe showed us time and again how he was paying attention to us. These personal stories (and many more) express the Rebbe’s unique attention and care for his young soldiers.”

Once, when speaking of the Sefer Hashluchim, the Rebbe explained another reason it was important to have pictures of the whole family, including the little children: “…A sefer should be prepared, including photographs of all the shluchim and their families, even the small children. Thus, we can anticipate that the children as well, seeing their picture in the sefer, will be inspired to follow in their par- ents’ ways and grow up to be shluchim in their own right.”

Children on the Frontlines