Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994)
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, known universally as "the Rebbe," was born on 11 Nissan 5662 (April 18, 1902) in Nikolaev, Ukraine, to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson and Rebbetzin Chana. He descended from the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, making him part of an unbroken chain of Chabad-Lubavitch leadership dating back to the movement's founder, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.
In his youth, the Rebbe demonstrated extraordinary scholarly ability, immersing himself in Talmud, Kabbalah, and Chassidic texts. He studied at the University of Berlin and later at the Sorbonne in Paris, earning a degree in electrical engineering — a testament to his belief that Torah and secular wisdom are not in conflict. He married Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, daughter of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, in 1928 in Warsaw.
Following the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust, the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka arrived in the United States in 1941. On 10 Shevat 5711 (January 17, 1951), one year after the passing of his father-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson formally accepted leadership of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He transformed it from a small Chassidic community into the world's largest and most geographically diverse Jewish outreach organisation, with thousands of centres in over 100 countries.
The Rebbe passed away on 3 Tammuz 5754 (June 12, 1994), in New York City. His gravesite at Ohel — the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York — receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year from every corner of the globe. In 1994 he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the United States' highest civilian honour.
The Rebbe's teachings are rooted in Chabad Chassidut — a school of thought founded by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi that synthesises deep mystical insight with rigorous intellectual analysis. The word "Chabad" is an acronym for Chochmah (Wisdom), Binah (Understanding) and Da'at (Knowledge) — the three intellectual faculties through which a Jew can internalise and embody divine consciousness.
Central to the Rebbe's philosophy is the absolute and unconditional love of every Jewish soul. He famously taught that every Jew — regardless of background, observance level or knowledge — possesses an infinite divine spark that must be acknowledged, celebrated and nurtured. This principle drove the Chabad shlichus (emissary) programme, sending thousands of young rabbinical couples to the remotest corners of the earth to serve any Jew they might encounter.
The Rebbe delivered thousands of discourses — farbrengens — on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, many of which have been compiled into Likkutei Sichot, a 39-volume encyclopaedia of Torah commentary. He also authored Igrot Kodesh, a multi-volume collection of his personal letters addressing every imaginable question of Jewish law, philosophy, personal life and communal affairs. He corresponded with world leaders, scientists, artists, and ordinary Jews alike, treating every individual with the same depth of attention.
The Rebbe placed enormous emphasis on joy (simcha) as a foundational element of Jewish life. He frequently quoted the Baal Shem Tov: "The divine presence rests only where there is joy in a mitzvah." His teachings on the power of a single good deed to tip the scales of the entire world encouraged millions to embrace even one more mitzvah.
Perhaps the most visible expression of the Rebbe's vision is the worldwide network of Chabad Houses — Jewish centres that serve as synagogues, schools, counselling offices, soup kitchens and community hubs all at once. When the Rebbe became leader in 1951 there were a handful of Chabad institutions. Today, more than 5,000 Chabad Houses operate in over 100 countries, from the mountains of Nepal to the plains of Patagonia, from Tokyo to Timbuktu.
The Rebbe launched several landmark campaigns — mivtzaim — to reconnect Jews with their heritage: Tefillin, Shabbat candles, mezuzah, Jewish education, family purity, Torah study, Chanukah menorahs in public spaces, and more. The Chanukah campaign, which brought giant menorahs to city squares worldwide, transformed a minor holiday into a powerful symbol of Jewish pride. The Tefillin campaign, launched after the Six-Day War in 1967, led to hundreds of thousands of Jewish men putting on tefillin for the first time.
The Rebbe also spearheaded the Noahide movement, encouraging non-Jews to observe the Seven Noahide Laws — a universal ethical code derived from the Torah — and thus contribute to the repair of the world (tikkun olam). He believed that the Jewish mission is ultimately about elevating all of humanity.
Through his letters, audiences (yechidut) and farbrengens, the Rebbe guided soldiers before wars, comforted survivors of tragedy, advised heads of state and inspired scientists to see holiness in their work. His influence was profoundly personal: he remembered individuals by name, followed up on their situations, and made every person feel uniquely seen and loved.
The Rebbe's legacy is difficult to quantify. Statistically, Chabad-Lubavitch is the world's largest Jewish educational and social-service network. Spiritually, millions of Jews who might have drifted away from their heritage were brought back by a Chabad shliach or by encountering the Rebbe's teachings. The concept that every Jew is infinitely precious — that no soul is too far gone, no mitzvah too small — has reshaped modern Jewish self-understanding.
The Rebbe's emphasis on the imminence of the Messianic era gave his followers — and indeed much of the Jewish world — a sense of historical urgency and purpose. He taught that we are the final generation before the redemption, and that each good deed hastens the arrival of Moshiach. This vision continues to animate Chabad's global work today.
Secular recognition of the Rebbe's impact is also remarkable. The United States Congress designated 11 Nissan as "Education Day USA" every year since 1978 in honour of the Rebbe's tireless work in education. In 1994 he received the Congressional Gold Medal. Heads of state from Israel, the United States and beyond sought his counsel. Nobel laureates and philosophers have written about his intellectual and moral legacy.
At Chabad Park Hadera, we carry forward the Rebbe's vision every day. Our doors are open to every Jew, regardless of background. We offer Torah classes, Shabbat programmes, holiday celebrations and personal guidance — all inspired by the Rebbe's teaching that every act of goodness and light matters infinitely, and that the redemption of the world is built one mitzvah, one soul, at a time.
The address 770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York — universally known simply as "770" — is the most famous address in the Jewish world. It served as the home and office of both the Previous Rebbe (Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn) and the Rebbe himself for over four decades. The building houses the main Chabad synagogue (zal), study halls (batei midrash), the Rebbe's library, and movement offices.
So revered is 770 that Chabad communities worldwide have built exact replica buildings in their cities — in Buenos Aires, Milan, São Paulo, Los Angeles, and Kfar Chabad in Israel. The Rebbe would deliver his famous farbrengens (Chassidic gatherings) in the main synagogue, sometimes lasting many hours, drawing thousands of followers. The building is a designated New York City landmark and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994) was the seventh leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement and the most widely recognised Jewish leader of the 20th century. He built Chabad into a global organisation with over 5,000 centres in more than 100 countries and inspired millions of Jews to reconnect with their heritage.
The Rebbe was born in Nikolaev, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire) on 18 April 1902. He studied in Germany and France before emigrating to the United States in 1941, where he spent the rest of his life in the Crown Heights neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York.
The Rebbe's teachings centre on Chabad Chassidut: the intellectual and spiritual approach to Torah that emphasises the unity of G-d, the infinite value of every Jewish soul, joy in mitzvah observance, and the importance of outreach. He also stressed education, unconditional love of every person, and belief in the imminent Messianic redemption.
The Ohel (literally 'tent') is the gravesite of the Rebbe and his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, New York. It is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually from all over the world, who come to pray and leave written requests (kvitlach).
Through the Chabad shlichus programme, the Rebbe sent thousands of emissary couples to establish Jewish centres in every corner of the globe. He launched major campaigns to encourage tefillin, Shabbat candles, mezuzah, and Jewish education. His personal letters and audiences touched millions, and his teachings are studied daily around the world.
Chabad Park Hadera is a direct expression of the Rebbe's vision: an open, welcoming Jewish centre for every person regardless of background. We offer Torah classes, Shabbat and holiday programmes, counselling and community events — all rooted in the Rebbe's core message: love every Jew, share Torah, and transform the world one mitzvah at a time.
The Rebbe taught: "When you help another Jew study Torah, it is as if you studied it yourself."
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