Education and Sharing Day – April 1, 2023
The National Education and Sharing Day are observed annually on the birthday of a leader on the 11th day of Nissan on the Jewish calendar. On this day, we get to learn that sharing is caring. Education is much more than getting a degree to shape a particular career; through the collaboration of mentors, educators, family members, community leaders, and scholarships, it cultivates the spirit and develops the character of individuals. On April 1, 2023, as we celebrate this day, join us in paying tribute to the great Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who worked hard to share education nationally and across borders more than a century ago.
HISTORY OF EDUCATION AND SHARING DAY
The only Jewish personality of our time who disseminated education freely without any divisions was the seventh leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty, the ‘Rebbe,’ who believed every single child was owed an education. The Rebbe went to great heights in bringing out the character-building and moral virtues in young minds: education beyond academics.
Since 1941 when the Rebbe arrived in the U.S., he has only focused on one goal: education for all. Chabad Lubavitch, a global movement that founded a network of Jewish centers of education and institutes (called Chabad Houses), was spearheaded by Schneerson in the U.S. and worldwide. In these houses, spiritual awakening and academic knowledge were altogether distributed.
The Rebbe had exceptional efforts and a unique approach to improve our societies, gaining him recognition. His goal was “To emphasize the promotion of fundamental human rights and obligations of justice and morality, which are the basis of any human society.”
The Rebbe’s birthday, 11 Nissan of the Hebrew (Jewish) calendar, just four days before the Passover, has been a National Education and Sharing Day in the United States since 1978 as a joint decision of the U.S. Congress and the president. Every year, the president of America nationally proclaims the day alongside governors and state legislatures in various states and cities to appreciate the personal efforts of the Rebbe and encourage the public to follow in his footsteps in building a better society. In a sense, the Gregorian calendar observes Education and Sharing Day between March 21 and April 21.
