9 years ago

113 Days of Education in Honor of the Rebbe

The Governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, both houses of the New York State legislature, the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate Proclaimed “113 Days of Education” in Honor of the Rebbe • Full Article, Photos

New York State Senate and Assembly opened in honor of the Rebbe.

The Celebration for the Rebbe

It’s not an easy time in Albany, the Capitol of the State of New York. The Budget was not passed yet. The state legislators are very busy. They are hurrying from meeting to meeting and from committee to committee. But then it was the Celebration for the Rebbe. And they found time!

Education for all children

Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman, Director Lubavitch Youth Organization, offered words of welcome to the members of the New York State Legislature, their associates and their staff.

Rabbi Butman noted that when the Rebbe speaks about education he talks about the education of all children regardless of race, religion, color or creed. The Rebbe emphasized that the children should be taught that that there is “An eye that sees and an ear that hears,”and that “The world is not a jungle.”

Rabbi Butman also stressed what the Rebbe said that we live in the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption and we can bring the Redemption even closer through more deeds of “Goodness and kindness.”

“The Rebbe’s work”

Assemblyman Sheldon Silver greeted the legislators and staffs, presented the Assembly Resolution and said that he saw firsthand the scope of the Rebbe’s activities in his travels overseas. “Wherever I traveled I saw the Rebbe’s work.”

“113 Days of Education in the State of New York”

The Proclamation of Governor Andrew Cuomo was read by Abe Eisner, a prominent representative to the Jewish community.

Rebbe worried for everyone

Rabbi Yisroel Rubin, the Shliach (emissary) of the Rebbe in Albany and vicinity, overseeing many Chabad Houses, spoke about the scope of the Rebbe’s activities all over the world. “The Rebbe worried about everyone.”

“The greatness of G-d”

In the opening prayers in the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate Rabbi Butman stressed that in Tehilim Perek 113, Dovid Hamelech (“King David”) speaks about the greatness of G-d who “Raises up the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy up from the ashheap, seating them with the nobles, the nobles of His People.”

The Advice of the Rebbe for opening Senate in Washington

Rabbi Butman recalled with reverence that before he opened the United States Senate in Washington in the year 1991, the Rebbe told him “Take a Pushka (charity box) with you and let everyone see what you are doing and let them know on what money should be spent for.” In accordance to this directive, Rabbi Butman brought a Pushka with him to Albany. During his prayers he offered a dollar bill in the Pushka. He also asked the legislators to join in putting a Dollar into the Pushka. “This is not a fund-raising campaign, for if it were we would ask you for much more than one Dollar, this is part of the Rebbe’s campaign to do mere goodness and kindness” Rabbi Butman said.

It was most interesting to see how members of both houses of the New York State Legislature lined up after the prayer to offer their own dollar in the Charity box as an act of goodness and kindness.

Shmurah Matzoh for Pesach

Rabbi Butman brought with him from Brooklyn Shmurah Matzoh for to the legislators. “The Rebbe wants that every Jew should have Shmurah Matzoh for Pesach.”