Marking the Rebbe’s 111th Birthday with Education
Today marks the 111 anniversary of birth of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. For over three decades this day was marked by the United States as Education Day U.S.A. The Rebbe hoped that this would place education on a pedestal, stress its importance and the need to invest more into education – because it is not just to learn how to make a better living – it is much more than that.
President Barack Obama expressed this sentiment in a proclamation he released in honor of the Rebbe’s Birthday:
“We also know that learning does not stop when students leave the classroom. Whether at the dinner table or on the field, it is our task as parents, teachers, and mentors to make sure our children grow up practicing the values we preach. We have an obligation to instill in them the virtues that define our national character – honesty and independence, drive and discipline, courage and compassion. And as citizens of a country where so much progress came only after we fought for fairness and equality, we must remember the wisdom of the Golden Rule by treating others as we would want to be treated.
“This day recalls the memory of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who taught generations of young men and women the importance of education and good character. His work strengthened ties between people around the world, and his legacy continues to inspire the service, charity, and goodwill he championed in life. As we reflect on the example he and so many others have set, let each of us strive to better realize the values we share.”
In a talk on the inauguration of Education Day U.S.A. in 1978, the Rebbe said:
“If our society is to be truly human, and not turn into a jungle, education must place greater emphasis on the promotion of fundamental human rights, justice and morality. Need one be reminded of what happened in a modern country that ranked among the foremost in science, technology and philosophy? Ideally, education should lead to a state where “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they train for war” (Isaiah 2:4).”
On this day, celebrate the Rebbe’s birthday, place more focus on education and its importance in shaping our youth.
