Shortly after getting ourselves seated in the back of a taxi, we noticed that the driver was an older, white woman. Unusual.
She soon asked where we were from. First we replied Boston and then added Brooklyn.
“Where in Brooklyn?” she asked. “Crown Heights?”
“Yes,” we replied.
“You are Lubavitchers. When I was a little girl I sat on the lap of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe (Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson who passed away in 1950).”
We were astounded; we did not see that coming.
She went on to share with us, “But in my home I have a portrait of only one Rabbi. In fact when using the title Rabbi, I only refer to him. When he arrived with his family after the war, from Europe, they stayed at our home. He was a grandfather to me, and I loved him.” His name was (Schneur) Zalman Schneerson (who was a cousin to the Previous Rebbe). Do you know him?”
“He is my great-grandfather,” Chanie replied.
ONLY in NYC.”
Source: Peretz & Chanie Chein, Chabad at Brandeis#TBT
