In this episode, Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt, Head Shliach of Argentina, takes us through his remarkable journey that led him to become Lubavitch and eventually the Rebbe’s Shliach. Rabbi Grunblatt grew up in Argentina in a Yekkishe kehillah. During his youth, he became very close to the Rebbe’s Shliach to Argentina, Rabbi Berel Baumgarten. Although Rabbi Baumgarten did not formally teach him Chassidus, simply being around him opened Rabbi Grunblatt to a world of Chassidus and Lubavitch, eventually leading him to join a Lubavitch Yeshiva in New York. He shares what it was like arriving from Argentina with virtually no familiarity with Lubavitch culture, and how he quickly acclimated and developed a deep connection to the Rebbe. As his involvement grew, Rabbi Grunblatt describes the tremendous effort he invested in understanding the Rebbe’s farbrengens. This eventually led him to become involved in chazara and in the work of transcribing the Rebbe’s maamorim. He shares fascinating anecdotes and insights into certain maamorim that the Rebbe was magihah, and elaborates on them. The episode then turns to the passing of Rabbi Berel Baumgarten, and how that ultimately led to Rabbi Grunblatt being sent as a Shliach to Argentina- at the same time as the Rebbe instructed him to get look for a Shidduch. Rabbi Grunblatt recounts the dramatic story of his arrival in Argentina and goes on to share fascinating episodes from his decades of Shlichus, including remarkable moments in which the Rebbe was directly involved.

In this episode, Rabbi Leibel Altein of Crown Heights shares fascinating stories and memories spanning generations of Chabad. He speaks about his grandfather, Reb Yisroel Jacobson, his early years in Lubavitch and his close involvement with the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe, as well as his pioneering askanus in the early years of Chabad in America. He also discusses his father’s becoming close to Lubavitch through his future father in law, Reb Yisroel Jacobson, his various Shlichus’n, and especially his shlichus in the Bronx. Rabbi Altein shares the fascinating story of the esrogim from Calabria that his grandfather began preparing for the Frierdiker Rebbe and later the Rebbe, including unique details about the Rebbe’s esrog purchases. He discusses his own upbringing and shlichus in Australia, and especially his remarkable work preparing Likkutei Sichos for the Rebbe to edit. He shares details of this unique zchus, along with personal stories and interactions with the Rebbe. The episode also explores Rabbi Altein’s lifelong involvement in Hafatzas Hamayanos, including Heichel Menachem and Chassidus Mevu’eres.