Rabbi Dov Yehuda and Sarah Schochet emigrated from Basel, Switzerland, to Toronto with their young son, Immanuel, in the early 1950s. Toronto didn’t have an established yeshiva so the Schochets turned to Immanuel’s uncle, Rabbi Mordechai Aizik Hodakov, the Rebbe’s chief aide, regarding where their son should study. “If you would like to send him to the school here, I will look after him,” Rabbi Hodakov said.
In 1952, Immanuel Schochet arrived in Brooklyn to study at the United Lubavitch Yeshivah. One week, he decided to greet the Rebbe outside of 770, the main Lubavitch synagogue, before Friday night services. As an “out-of-towner,” he did not realize that Chabad Chassidim kept a respectful distance from their Rebbe and would not dream of taking such a liberty.
The Rebbe did not seem to share their reticence. He returned Immanuel’s greeting and preceded him into the synagogue. As Immanuel approached the stairs he saw someone holding the door open and waiting for him. It was the Rebbe.
By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive
