Posted to Chabad News, Photo Galleries on

Beis Rivka Students Given Special Glimpse into Rebbetzin’s Life

Students in Beis Rivkah’s 8th Grade were given a special glimpse into the life of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka in honor of Chof Beis Shvat, her Yahrtzeit.

Some 100 students packed into the dining room of the home of Rabbi Sholom Ber and Frida Schapiro.

Rabbi Schapiro welcomed the girls into his home and began by sharing a story about an invitation his wife Frida and mother-in-law Mrs. Necha Mindel received from the Rebbetzin to join her for tea on Shmini Atzeres in 1988. Their daughter, Mrs. Nechama Samuels, then 18-years-old, asked to join, and together they visited the Rebbetzin.

She was staying at the apartment at the library next door to 770, and greeted her guests at the door. Together, they sat down and spoke about the comings and goings of 770, and Mrs. Samuels shared that after Yom Tov she was going to leave to Seminary for a year of learning. The Rebbetzin responded by saying how important it is for girls to learn, and wished her much hatzlocha in her studies.

Rabbi Schapiro continued and explained the meaning of ‘Vehachai Yiten El Libo,’ how we must go beyond hearing interesting stories about the Rebbetzin and seek to emulate her actions, which were well known in both Tznius and Tzedakah.

He went on to say how it is customary to take on new Hachlotos in honor of the yahrtzeit, and often those hachlotos are personal ones – for example to daven better or to learn better. Rabbi Schapiro suggested that the girls take on a more general Hachlatah of caring for one’s friends in honor of the Rebbetzin. He then gave out a special gift to all the girls, a copy of the book From Day to Day, which the Rebbe compiled in the years 1943 and 1944 for children to learn every day and use as a guide to accomplish this.

The Frierdiker Rebbe’s Coat

A few days before the passing of the Frierdiker Rebbe on Yud Shvat, 1950, he gave his coat, believed to have been made for the Rebbe’s wedding, to Mrs. Manya Rosen. She was extremely close with the Rebbetzin, and was a bas bayis by the Frierdiker Rebbe.

The Frierdiker Rebbe called her over and said to her [in Yiddish] ‘I will not be needing this anymore’ and gave it to her as a gift. Years later, before she moved to Israel, Manya gave this coat to the Schapiros as a gift, knowing how close they were with the Rebbetzin.

Later, during the Seform trial, Rabbi Schapiro grew Concerned when the Rebbe said the famous Sicha about ‘people having bombs in their house;’ he gave the coat to his father-in-law, Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and asked that he return it to the Rebbe. Rabbi Mindel argued, saying that it was a gift and he needn’t be worried, but following his insistence he took it to the offices of the Mazkirus.

During those years Rabbi Mindel would go into the Rebbe’s room three times a week, and in one of those visits he told the Rebbe about the coat. The Rebbe responded with a smile that ‘nisht em hob ich gemaint, un nit dos hob ich gemaint’ (‘I didn’t mean him, and I didn’t mean that’), adding blessings for a long, healthy and prosperous life, and instructed that the coat be returned.

The girls were given an opportunity to inspect the coat and its label, which is inscribed with the Frierdiker Rebbe’s name as ‘Herr Schneersohn’.

Mrs. Nechama Samuels, 8th Grade teacher (and daughter of the schapiros), arranged the encounter, which the students thoroughly enjoyed.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Related Articles

13 Comments

  • How very special!

    Thank you Mrs. Samuels and Schapiros for this! Through the photos, I felt as if I participated as well. And I , too, will take on a hachlata bli neder. A very special treat!

  • Nice

    What a Zechus you and your family had. Thank you for sharing some of this with the children, they stand to benefit so much!

  • gmy

    Just wondering.. Why is that coat not in the library.. Instead in the possession of a private person?

    • the rebbes shirt and kappote

      Good question. The Rebbes Kapote, shirt and Gartel are also in the possession of private people (R’ Shemtov and a few others have sets) stands to reason that the Rabbaim wanted it to be like this. And did you miss the part where the Rebbe instructed R’ Schapiro to keep it by him?

    • IT was the nurse

      R’ Schapiro told us that the Rebbe’s nurse (I don’t remember her name) gave the coat to him when she moved to Israel.

  • Zalmy Schapiro

    to my uncle Sholme Bar and to my cousin Nechama Samuels really nice pictures excellent job keep up the good work I’m sure the students feel really good beautiful picture of the coat wow that is really amazing