First Proclamation: 26 May 1941

Yosef Yitshak Schneersohn

1941

Immediate Redemption!

A fire is now sweeping over the whole Old World, threatening to annihilate, heaven forbid, more than two-thirds of the Jewish people. Nobody can guarantee that the fire, heaven forbid, will not leap over even here in the New World! The call of the local spiritual leaders for penitent return, prayer and fasting, though in and…

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In May 1941, Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak Schneersohn, the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement who had recently arrived in America, issued a public statement reflecting his frustration about the neglect of religion by American Jews, in light of the dire situation of the Jews in Europe. The core of his proclamation was a call for immediate repentance, which Schneersohn maintained would be followed by historical redemption. The document was printed as a broadside (a large, single-sheet poster or circular) in both Hebrew and Yiddish. A “Second Proclamation” followed on June 20th, and was much more specific, listing practical steps for people to take, such as establishing study groups and strengthening community bonds.
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