Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994), known to many simply as 'The Rebbe,' was a prominent Hasidic rabbi and the last leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He is considered one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the 20th century, renowned for his scholarship, his spiritual teachings, and his leadership in expanding the outreach of the Chabad movement worldwide. Rabbi Schneerson was born in Nikolaev, Ukraine, and was educated in a blend of traditional Jewish scholarship and secular studies. He later moved to Berlin and then Paris, where he continued his education. In 1941, he escaped Nazi-occupied Europe and settled in the United States, where he eventually took over the leadership of the Chabad movement after the passing of his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, in 1950. Under his guidance, Chabad established numerous institutions, educational programs, and outreach centers, making it one of the most widespread Jewish organizations in the world. Rabbi Schneerson was also known for his extensive writings and discourses on Jewish law, philosophy, and mysticism, which have been published in many volumes and are studied by followers and scholars alike.