On the Hebrew calendar, Yud Aleph Nissan, the eleventh day of Nissan, fell on this past Tuesday, April 12. The day marked the 120th anniversary of the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt”l. The day was established as Education and Sharing Day by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, taking a note from President Jimmy Carter, who did the same back in 1978 in recognition of the Rebbe’s efforts to secure a better education for all children. In commemoration of the historic date, a representative group of the shluchim from Queens attended a ceremony at Queens Borough Hall, where Richards presented the delegation with a proclamation. The announcement declared the Rebbe as “a passionate advocate for children and stressed the importance of educating children in ways that will help every child develop a strong intellect and a solid moral character.”
The shluchim shared the universal message of increasing acts of goodness and kindness and the importance of a moment of silence in all schools. The proclamation noted, “The Rebbe helped turn this guiding principle into reality by establishing a network of several thousand schools and educational centers in the United States and around the world.”
The Borough President was presented with a personalized siddur as per the directive of the Rebbe, when a presentation was made to the President of the United States.
The meeting was very positive, with an assurance from the Borough President that he stands with Queens Jewish day schools and that he will continue to work to promote the universal values taught by the Rebbe in Queens.