The Rebbe came to the United States in 1941. Upon his arrival, his father-in-law, the previous Rebbe, appointed him to head the educational, social and publishing departments of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.

With penetrating insight, he recognized the potential for a Jewish reawakening in the United States. The Rebbe began to teach, inspire and help transform American Jewry into a vibrant and dynamic community.

In 1950, upon the passing of his esteemed father-in-law, the Rebbe took over the mantle of leadership. Standing at the helm of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, he set out on an ambitious and powerful program. Single-handedly, the Rebbe chartered a new course for himself, his followers and an entire Jewish generation.

Through a vast and global network of Hebrew day schools, Chabad houses and outreach centers the Rebbe strove to reach every Jew on the face of the earth. Sending "Shluchim" (personal emissaries) to all four corners of the world, his message of hope and inspiration was spread to Jews the world over.

From Australia to Thailand, from Siberia to Alaska, people began to turn back to their tradition, regaining in the process their Jewish dignity and pride.

Recognizing the precarious position of post-holocaust Jewry, the Rebbe encouraged his followers to search out in love the very same people who were once hunted down in hate. It was the mystical answer to an unprecedented tragedy where all other answers had failed. The Rebbe saw that a massive act of evil can be redeemed only by a massive act of good: in this case, through saving lives, souls and identities on an unprecedented scale.

The Rebbe taught us, a generation of holocaust survivors, a profound and most important lesson. He challenged us to remember that survival alone is never enough, for in order to survive physically, one must be able to thrive and prosper spiritually. 

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