Now

The Rebbe would also visit every Friday night, and the two would often go on a walk together. Crown Heights, at the time, was home to many non-Lubavitcher Jews. Passersby, who saw the Rebbe on these outings with his mother, would walk up to them and ask for a bracha.

The late businessman and Holocaust survivor Leibel (Leo) Zisman recalled being stopped by the Rebbetzin during one such walk. The two met in the Jewish displaced persons (DP) camp in Pocking, Germany, when Zisman picked up a letter from the Rebbetzin to deliver. The Rebbetzin now asked about his wellbeing and studies, but Zisman kept the conversation short to avoid intruding on her quality time with the Rebbe.

The Rebbetzin had a woman living in her apartment to assist her and not to remain alone. One year, when the woman was on leave during Pesach, the famed chossid R’ Benzion (Bentche) Shemtov asked his daughter, Fradel Sudak, who was single then, to stay over. She agreed, and on both Seder nights, she walked with Rebbetzin Chana from 770 to 1418 and remained there for the night.

Upon getting engaged, Mrs. Sudak visited 1418 with her chosson Rabbi Nachman Sudak and received the Rebbetzin’s bracha before marrying and moving on Shlichus to London, England. The couple would go to see the Rebbetzin Chana when visiting Crown Heights. When they brought their first-born boy, the Rebbetzin was delighted to hear his name was Levi Yitzchok, after her husband.

The Rebbetzin played with the baby in her apartment and commented about her own son, “The Rebbe makes a lot of nissim (miracles), but the biggest of all of them are the shidduchim. These couples come from completely different backgrounds, yet the Rebbe makes their shidduch, and they are so happy together. That’s the biggest nes.”

Today, 1418 and 1414 President are combined into one large edifice that houses the Yeshiva dormitory. One can’t help feeling that Rebbetzin Chana would take pride in knowing that the rooms and halls of her former dwelling now host a new generation of the “Rebbe’s children.”