Weekly Moment With the Rebbe

Religious instruction of our youth has always been a priority. But “Jewish literacy” involves far more than rote or academic knowledge. The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s gentle encouragement to a couple involved in education and outreach, stressing pride in our heritage, high moral conduct, and communal responsibility – all of which must start small, implanted within the child who will listen, obey, and reap timeless lessons from our Sages.

Religious instruction of our youth has always been a priority. But “Jewish literacy” involves far more than rote or academic knowledge. The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s gentle encouragement to a couple involved in education and outreach, stressing pride in our heritage, high moral conduct, and communal responsibility – all of which must start small, implanted within the child who will listen, obey, and reap timeless lessons from our Sages.

In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h

“Planting of a seed”

B”H
18 Shevat 5712
Brooklyn, NY

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Newman
21 Supple Road
Roxbury, MA

Greetings and Blessing:

I was pleased to hear of you through Rabbi Simpson. I was especially gratified to hear of the care and devotion you are giving to the upbringing and yeshiva education of your children, irrespective of difficulties.

The proper upbringing of Jewish children has always been the greatest concern of Jewish parents. Nowadays, after the terrible upheavals in the world and the perplexities besetting the youth, with harmful influences from outside, it is a vital necessity to give the children the proper Jewish education, and no sacrifices can be too great.

Special care must be taken with regard to young children. For education is like the planting of a seed. The slightest defect in the seed, the like of which in the grown tree would be of little consequence, assumes major proportions in the care of the seed, to the extent of crippling the tree that is to grow from it.

May the Al-mighty give you lots of nachas [joy], Yiddishe nachas, from your children, and amply reward you for the sacrifices you make to give them a Torah-true education.

With blessing,

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“From darkness to light and triumph”

By the Grace of G-d
19 Adar 5721
Brooklyn, NY

Mr. & Mrs. —
21 Supple Rd.
Roxbury, MA

Greeting and Blessing:

It was very gratifying to me to hear about your good activities in your work for chinuch al taharas ha-kodesh [education on holy purity]. I hope and pray that you will continue to carry on your good work with an ever-growing measure of success, and in good health and contentment. Your accomplishments in the past will surely stimulate you to increased efforts in the future and serve as an inspiring example to others.

Needless to say, the mitzvah of ahavas Yisroel [loving your fellow Jew], especially as it is expounded in Chassidus, is one of the most basic foundations of our Jewish way of life. It is known that the Ba’al Shem Tov said that G-d’s love for each and every Jew is infinitely greater than the love of parents for their one and only child born to them in their old age, and it is the privilege and duty of every Jew to do everything possible to bring G-d’s children closer to their Father in Heaven, and never give anyone up as lost.

Having just celebrated the happy Festival of Purim, I trust that it has brought a new measure of inspiration and joy to you and to your work, including also the great cause of the religious Released Time Program, and may the ranks of those who help grow, and the forces of opposition diminish until there is a complete reversal from darkness to light and triumph, in the words of the Megillah: “And for the Jews there was light, joy, gladness and glory.”
Hoping to hear good news from you always,

With blessing,

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“Survival of our heritage”

By the Grace of G-d
5 Iyar 5721
Brooklyn, NY

The Newman Family
21 Supple Road
Roxbury, MA

Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to receive your letter of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, in which you write your experience of a “chance” meeting with a Jewish girl, and the far-reaching results that it has led to in bringing her closer to her Jewish heritage. It is gratifying to note that you did not fail to see in this the intervention of the Divine Providence which extends to each and every one individually.

You will also be encouraged to see how every Jewish person, no matter how far estranged from the Jewish sources, is yet sensitive and responsive to the proper influence. I hope this will encourage you in your good work to exercise your utmost influence in this direction.

As we are now in the days of Sefirah, it is well to bear in mind that these days also emphasize the above lesson in regard to the great Sage, Rabbi Akiba and his disciples. For you surely know the story of Rabbi Akiba, who had 24,000 students, all of whom, unfortunately, died during the period of Sefirah, and, as our Sages relate, “The world was desolate.”

However, subsequently, Rabbi Akiba had five students, and these five individuals laid the foundation for the whole future of the Mishna and Talmud, and thus ensured the survival of our people. This story which our Sages recorded for a purpose, namely, that we should learn something from it in our own daily life, emphasizes the importance of every individual in the survival of our heritage, for no one can tell whether the particular individual Jewish child, boy or girl, may be one of such five students as Rabbi Akiba said.

Your experience should also serve as a complete rebuttal of those who oppose or are indifferent to such work as the Release Hour, minimizing the effect that one hour a week can have on a child, and at the same time making all sorts of false calculations to discourage making contact with Jewish children; for the sole effect of such an attitude is simply to deprive Jewish children from the only opportunity they may have to make contact with Jewish life.

May G-d bless you in your good work and influence, and may you go from strength to strength. Hoping to hear good news from you always,

With blessing,

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