In Memory of Shneur Hirsch on His 44th Birthday
On the 14th of Elul, R’ Shneur Hirsch would have turned 44. It’s been nearly five years since his passing, yet his presence and impact are still felt so strongly. His birthday is a moment to pause and reflect on his life, his vision, and his enduring legacy.
Shneur was instrumental in shaping one of the Menachem Education Foundation’s most successful projects—the Our Heritage Program. Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as an urgent response to a rare window of opportunity when public schools were shut down, Our Heritage has since grown into its own institution, providing grants for Jewish students to transfer to Chabad day schools. Its roots trace directly back to Shneur.
At the time, our chairman, Mr. Alan Zekelman, had pledged to support the program on condition that I secure matching funds. Raising the resources was an uphill battle. One night, out of desperation, I called Shneur and asked to meet. I hesitated, knowing he was battling a serious illness, but he graciously welcomed me into his home. After I explained the situation, he told me with complete conviction: “We need to do this. This is what the Rebbe wants. This is Chinuch.”
Then he shared something that struck me deeply. A year earlier, on his own initiative, he and his wife had felt that this area of the Rebbe’s Mivtzoim was being neglected and that they needed to act. Quietly, without any fanfare, they reached out to a Shliach and arranged to sponsor a child to move from public school into a Jewish school. Shneur didn’t wait for anyone else. He simply did what he knew was right.
That night, he didn’t just offer encouragement—he took responsibility. He said: I’ll give you money. I’ll raise the funds. I’ll get my friends involved. And he kept his word.
Five years later, yibadel l’chaim, his friends Tuvya Greisman, Noach Weinstein, and many others continue to carry his vision forward. Under the visionary leadership of our Chairman, Mr. Alex Swieca, and with the partnership of Mendel and Reut Pinson, the Bram Family, and many other generous donors, the program has awarded close to $2,000,000 in grants, which have enabled nearly 900 children to transfer from public schools into Chabad schools.
But it’s not just about the numbers. Every child is a story. Recently, at one of our events, David Maksin—a student who joined the Our Heritage Program in its first year—shared his journey. In the first year of Our Heritage, he enrolled at a Chabad day school for the remainder of elementary school. Upon graduating, he entered public high school but quickly felt he didn’t belong. On his own initiative, through the ripple effects of Our Heritage, he transferred to Ramaz, and today he stands tall and proud as part of Am Yisroel. “I have a purpose,” he shared. “A purpose like I never felt I had before.” His story is just one among hundreds, each one a living testament to the vision Shneur carried.
Over the past five years, I’ve met dozens of fellow chassidim dedicated to this mission. Each knew of a family, a friend, or a relative whose child was in public school, and they took the initiative to ensure that child received a Chinuch kosher in a Jewish day school.
I have also worked with 35 Chabad day schools, and the most dedicated school leaders, Shluchim and Shluchos, who work with Mesiras Nefesh to recruit and retain these precious children.
Often, it doesn’t take much to change a child’s future. Sometimes it’s a single conversation with the parents, a good word to the school director, or simply pointing a family toward existing resources.
As we enter the 50th year since the Rebbe launched the Chinuch campaign—one of whose central goals was that every child receive a Jewish education—we are reminded that we each have a role to play. We can support the global campaign, but we must also take personal responsibility.
Each of us knows a friend, a colleague, or a relative whose child is still in public school. Each of us can step in. We don’t need great resources. We don’t need fanfare. We just need a little dedication and care. With that, we can fulfill the Rebbe’s vision and make a difference—just as Shneur did.
–Rabbi Zalman Shneur is the Executive Director and Founder of The Menachem Education Foundation and the Our Heritage Foundation. To learn more visit: www.ourheritagefoundation.com
