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Read about a powerful Chinuch moment that Rabbi Avrohom Bluming of the Igud Hamelamdim organization experienced with Rabbi Mottel Gurary, OB”M, at an event for Melamdim last year in Crown Heights.

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On this propitious day of Tes Adar, marking 81 years of Chinuch in America, I am reminded of a memory from last year, one that reinforced the vital approach to Chinuch today, and I wish to share it with you. 

Last year, in honor of Tes Adar, Igud Hamelamdim arranged a special event for the Mechanchim. I approached Rabbi Mottel Gurary, asking him if he could join us and share inspiration to empower our Teachers. A very busy person, and having a Simcha to go to that evening, he nevertheless readily agreed to carve out the time for this important mission. 

As it turned out, another presenter of the event, Rabbi Yoel Kahn ended up coming earlier than his scheduled time slot, and upon seeing him, Rabbi Gurary insisted that with Reb Yoel Kahn  being his senior, he should speak first. The hour was getting late. Rabbi Gurary had to leave to the Simcha before Reb Yoel had concluded his speech and thus did not end up speaking for us that evening. 

I met him subsequently to apologize for having troubled him to join us in the midst of his very busy schedule that night, and then he didn’t even end up speaking! With his incredible warmth and humility, he said, “I have to apologize to you, that I didn’t end up speaking to the Mechanchim!”

And then, with his characteristic warmth, he shared a few words, powerful words, words that became emblazoned in my mind, summing up the imperative for chinuch today!

He explained to me that he’d come another time. “I’ll take a rain date!” he said. With a sparkle in his eye and a beaming smile, he added, “Not a rainy day, I’ll come on a sunny day!”

Rabbi Gurary A”H, who passed away just a short time afterwards was a great man among us whose supreme devotion to Chinuch was manifested that evening, when he postponed going to his family’s Simcha to join our Mechanchim event. I thank him for the  lifelong lesson he left me with on the attitude for Chinuch today. Chinuch is about “a sunny day, not a rainy day!” –conveying a sunny warm attitude to our children, shining a light, infusing them with happy energy, true joy and optimism.

I reflect on this memory today, the day of Tes Adar, a special day of prioritizing Chinuch as on this special day 81 years ago, the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in America, and immediately made establishing chinuch for children his first order of business, despite his other pressing needs. 

Reliving the memory of Rabbi Gurary’s parting message to me, this is in fact our mission at Igud Hamelamdim that we have been pursuing for the last 4 years. Read about our vital work in our brochure. We have been lighting the way for thousands of our children! Partner with us and support our Lighting the Way for Our Children campaign happening right here, right now! 

 Click on our link here and support Chinuch now while also having the chance to win $12,000!  

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