Rabbi Binyomin Eliyahu Gorodetzki was appointed by the Previous Rebbe to head the Lishkah — the European bureau of Chabad-Lubavitch in Paris — overseeing Chabad's activities in Europe and North Africa. He served as the authorized representative ("ba-koach") of the Previous Rebbe and then of the Rebbe for Europe, North Africa and Eretz Yisrael for more than four decades. He helped lay the groundwork for Chabad's work in Morocco, and the Rebbe entrusted him with many matters on his behalf — among them, in 1965, receiving a property in Paris bequeathed to the Rebbe. His yahrzeit is 5 Menachem Av.
The Rebbe's letters to Rabbi Gorodetzki reflect his role as the coordinator of Chabad's work across Europe, North Africa and Eretz Yisrael. The Rebbe expressed concern at the limited publicity given to the work of the Oholei Yosef Yitzchak network (IK 2427), suggested commission-based incentives for young people selling and distributing Kehot seforim (IK 2826), and wrote about requests that affect the budgets of the institutions and the importance of Nshei Chabad (IK 4672). He encouraged spreading Chassidus in Denmark and the surrounding countries (IK 6364), and wrote about assisting the Jews of Poland and retrieving chassidic manuscripts held there (IK 8124). One letter provides information about Rabbi Mendel Schneerson, brother of the Rebbe Rashab (IK 3178).
See also: Lipsker, Rabbi Michoel; Matusof, Rabbi Shlomo; Jewish outreach – Spreading Chassidus; Accuracy – Chassidus manuscripts.