Chaim Tzvi Schneerson

One could say: radical in the spirit of the 1860s, in a clear trend of land settlement and a staunch "Zionist-political", in our language today out of a passionate belief that the day is near.

[8]In 1852, Rabbi Schneerson left on his first mission on behalf of the communities of Hebron and Jerusalem and traveled to Damascus, Aleppo and Egypt.

Schneerson went to Australia instead for the purpose of raising funds, and his international talks gained prominent coverage in Jewish newspapers around the world.

[12][13] Following the joint assembly, an association was established in the city to support Jews in the Land of Israel called Honani Ofer Zion.

Ethnographer Jacob Saphir spread doubt on the credibility of Scneerson's mission, saying that the plan was fruitless and that Schneerson had pocketed much of the money raised,[16] but upon confirmation by the organization and Schneerson's popularity among the dignitaries, Saphir ended up leaving the country the week of his "expose"'s publication, and was ridiculed by critics for his attacks on the Rabbi in the following weeks.

This is in addition to the Jewish Chronicle in London, which employed its own reporter in Australia who authored the articles about the events, which circulated throughout the British Empire, leading to Schneerson's ideas on Israeli reestablishment being widely publicized in Europe.

At the same time of Schneerson's activities in Australia, the Society for the Settlement of Eretz Yisrael was established in Frankfurt am Main by David Luria.

[25] A notable Australian politicians, John Young, Governor of New South Wales, attended one of his talks in Sydney among a "large number" of citizens.

Schneerson departed to return to Israel in April 1863[27] and was praised for his successful mission, and even received a letter of appreciation from Rabbi Hazan.

The assembly decided, among other things, that a license should be obtained from the government to purchase land to cultivate it, and that a three-year support infrastructure should be established to start the project.

Following the assembly, about a hundred families announced their desire to move to agricultural work and the committee was headed by Schneerson and Rabbi Moshe Benvanishti.

He sought support of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and in London, a committee considered his travel there, but Benjamin passed away while preparing for the trip.

Hearing about the cancelled plans in the Jewish Chronicle, Schneerson contacted the committee with a request that they send him in Benjamin's place, as he had experience with faraway travel before.

In that year, Schneerson, who had returned from a trip to Romania, began to serve as a reporter for the London newspaper describing the awful situation in Israel.

He also reported on smaller local happenings, such as the visit to Israel by Moses Montefiore, who Schneerson proposed an establishment of enterprises to prevent future prise fluctuations on foodstuffs in case of another drought.

Schneerson continued to publish articles as an independent reporter, including one titled "Voice of Complaint from Jerusalem", where he criticized leaders of the Kollels, who he said were thwarting operative initiatives to aid the settlements.

He founded the Yehuda and Israel Society with the help of Rabbi Azriel Zelig Hausdorf and Nathan Cornell to establish a wheat and coal warehouse in Jerusalem for winter use.

The Prussian consul ended up funding the project, and was used by both Jewish and Muslim residents during the winter for cheaper supply of materials not gatherable during the season.

In 1869, Schneerson arrived in the United States, equipped with letters of recommendation for making connections with influential Jewish and Christian circles.

His mastery of the English language, rhetorical talent, and his unique appearance in oriental clothing all contributed to the popularity of his lectures and his interest to the press.

Schneerson also met with the Secretary of State Hamilton Fish and President Grant himself, which made a great impression in the Jewish community in America.

Following his open letter, his publicity grew in the US and he was invited to lecture before both Jews and Christians in many cities across the country, such as in: Cincinnati,[40] Baltimore,[41] Milwaukee,[42] Nashville,[43] New Orleans,[44] San Francisco,[45] Hartford,[46] Rochester,[47] Buffalo,[48] and Chicago.

[49] One example in November 1870, he was invited by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to give a lecture to them in Salt Lake City.

[52] He, in part, also spread his views on the future of the Holy Land within the framework of Israel's establishment, while offering practical solutions for near-term issues.

Eventually, Judge Avraham Zvi Halevi imposed a boycott on Schneerson, and many were unhappy with the lax punishment, and was stoned and beaten on 28 November 1874.

Eventually, under pressure of the US Ambassador in Beirut, the governor of Tiberias arrested 9 of the leaders who organized his beatings,[53] but ended up releasing him after protesters broke out in violence.

Jewish residents were under threat of collective punishment by the government for the situation, and Montefiore and other prominent figures stepped in to cease the dialogue.

[54] The Jewish Chronicle referred to the affair as a typical example of a fanatical opposition to a man who made efforts to stop the partition system.

In the Bitown Ma'ayan it is written that at the request of Montefiore, he was among the leaders of the Chabad sect in Jerusalem, and he was described in some sources as the "co-superintendent of the kollel".