Chana Schneerson

Chana Schneerson (née Yanovsky; 1880–1964) was the wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, a Chabad Hasidic rabbi in Yekatrinoslav, Ukraine and the mother of the seventh Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

Chana Schneerson
Born	Chana Yanovsky December 30, 1880
Died	September 12, 1964 (aged 83) Brooklyn, New York
Nationality	Ukrainian
Known for	Wife of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, a Chabad Hasidic rabbi in Yekatrinoslav, Ukraine Mother of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, 7th Chabad rebbe

Early life

She was born Chana Yanovsky in 1880, on the 28th of Tevet, in Nikolayev, Ukraine, to Rabbi Meir Shlomo Yanovsky and Rachel Yanovsky.[1] She was the eldest of four children, having two sisters, Gittel and Ettel, and a younger brother, Yisrael Leib, who died as a youth. Rabbi Meir Shlomo was chief rabbi of Nikolayev.[2]

As a teenager, she was educated by her father,[1] and when a maamar (Chasidic discourse) would arrive from Lubavitch, she would meticulously and faithfully transcribe it, making it available for other Chasidim.

Marriage to Levi Yitzchak

In 1900, she married Levi Yitzchak, a great-great-grandson of the third Rebbe of Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, also known as the Tzemach Tzedek. The wedding took place on the 13th of Sivan, in Nikolayev. The couple produced three sons, Menachem Mendel, Dovber, and Yisroel Aryeh Leib. Their eldest son, Menachem Mendel was later to become the seventh Rebbe of Lubavitch.

Levi Yitzchak was arrested in 1939, and exiled in 1940 for his religious practice. Schneerson joined him in exile. Levi Yitzchak died in 1944.[3]

Later years

Widowed, Schneerson left the Soviet Union in 1947. She illegally transported Levi Yitzchak's religious writings, focused around the Kabbalah, upon moving. That year she went to Paris, France, where she met with her son, Menachem Mendel. They both immigrated to the United States living in Brooklyn, New York.[1]

She held extensive interviews with journalist Nissan Gordon, which have been published in Di Yiddishe Heim.[4]

She died on September 12, 1964 (6 Tishrei 5725).[5]

In 2012, her memoirs, which she penned during the years 1947 until 1963, were published by Kehot Publication Society.

References

1. "Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson, obm". Bais Chana of California Women's Yeshiva. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
2. Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson - A brief biography - Chassidism
3. Margolin, Dovid. "The KGB's Belated Apology for the Persecution and Death of the Rebbe's Father". Chabad.org. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
4. "Memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana - Part 1". Chabad.org. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
5. "MRS. C. SCHNEERSON". New York Times. 13 September 1964. Retrieved 10 August 2020.

Further reading

• Gottlieb, Naftali Tzvi. Trans. Lesches, Elchonon. "Rabbi, Mystic and Leader - the Life and Times of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson" (Kehot Publication Society; 2008) 253 pages
• Marcus, Shmuel M. and Avraham D. Vaisfiche. Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson: A Brief Biography. Brooklyn: Kehot Publication Society. (2004). ISBN 0826601022
• Strength and Majesty: A Biography of the Rebbetzins Chana Schneerson and Chaya Mushka Schneerson. Brooklyn: Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch (2004). ISBN 0826601030
• Tilles, Yerachmiel. "A Mother in Israel - the Life and Memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson" (Kehot Publication Society; 1985, 2003) 226 pages

External links

• Memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson

Schneersohn Family Tree
Shneur Zalman[lower-roman 1] (1745-1812) Shterna Shalom Shachna[lower-roman 2] Devorah Leah (d. 1792) Dovber[lower-roman 3] (1773-1827) Sheina Menachem Mendel[lower-roman 4] (1789-1866) Chaya Mushka (d. 1860) Baruch Shalom (1805-1869) Shmuel[lower-roman 5] (1834-1882) Yosef Yizchak[lower-roman 6] (1822-1876) Yisroel Noah[lower-roman 7] (1815-1883) Chaim Schneur Zalman[lower-roman 8] (d. 1879) Yehuda Leib[lower-roman 9] (1811-1866) Levi Yitzchak (1834-1878) Shalom Dovber[lower-roman 10] (1860-1920) Shterna Sara (1860-1942) Avraham (1860-1937) Yitzchak Dovber[lower-roman 11] (1833-1910) Shlomo Zalman[lower-roman 12] (1830-1900) Shalom Dovber[lower-roman 13] (d. 1908) Shmaryahu Noah[lower-roman 14] (1842-1924) Baruch Schneur (d. 1926) Yosef Yitzchak[lower-roman 15] (1880-1950) Nechama Dina (1881-1971) Levi Yitzchak (1878-1944) Chana (1880-1964) Menachem Mendel[lower-roman 16] (1902-1994) Chaya Mushka (1901-1988)
Light green indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty   Light purple indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of the Chabad-Kapust dynasty   Light orange indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of the Chabad-Niezhin dynasty   Light blue indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of the Chabad-Liadi dynasty   Light yellow indicates a Hasidic Rebbe of the Chabad-Avrutch dynasty dashed lines indicate married relationships, solid lines indicate parental relationships, additional members of Schneersohn family are not listed here
Notes: Founder and first Rebbe of Chabad, known as Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Shneur Zalman Baruchovitch, and as the Old Rebbe Surname Altschuler 2nd Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, known as Dovber Schneuri and the Middle Rebbe 3rd Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, known as Tzemach Tzedek, first to assume the surname "Schneersohn" 4th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, known as Maharash 1st Rebbe of Chabad-Avrutch 1st Rebbe of Chabad-Niezhin 1st Rebbe of Chabad-Liadi 1st Rebbe of Chabad-Kapust, known as Maharil of Kapust 5th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, known as Rashab 2nd Rebbe of Chabad-Liadi 2rd Rebbe of Chabad-Kapust 3rd Rebbe of Chabad-Kapust, known as Rashab of Rechitsa 4th Rebbe of Chabad-Kapust 6th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, known as Rayatz 7th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, uses the spelling of "Schneerson"
References: Schneersohn, Yosef Yitzchak; Schneerson, Menachem Mendel (2005). Hayom Yom: Bilingual Edition. Brooklyn, NY: Kehot Publication Society. ISBN 0-8266-0669-5.