By the Grace of God
2 of Nisan 5716
Brooklyn, NY.
To my brothers in general, and to those who are active in education in particular:
God bless them!
The festival of Pesach, the first of the festivals given to us, is predominantly associated with the theme of education, both in relation to our people as a whole, and in particular to each parent.
In relation to our people as a whole, the liberation from Egypt signifies the birth of our nation and the beginning of its education and preparation to receive the Torah. The Torah itself means instruction, because it instructs and educates us in our way of life.
In relation to each individual father, Passover is the time when
"And you shall tell your son," hence the Haggadah and the Seder that are an integral part of the observance and celebration of Passover.
Passover is an auspicious time for us to re-examine the problems of religious education and its practical application, particularly in relation to our holidays.
We must keep in mind that our festivities, and Passover in particular, are associated with numerous laws and customs, whose importance is not confined to the moment of their fulfillment since their influence should extend throughout the year to inspire us in our daily lives.
As important as it is for every Jew, it is even more so for our youth, and especially our children.
In practice, however, due to various reasons, we find that instead of taking advantage of the holiday with the vision of intensifying its influence on children, they, the boys and girls, are inevitably released from the Yeshivot, Yeshivot Ketanot and Talmudei Torah, not only for the holiday itself, but also for a few days before.
In the "old country," the practice of giving children time off for the intervening days (bein hazemanim) had no negative effects on their education, as the environment, and particularly their homes, were filled with a vibrant and warm Yiddishkait atmosphere. The purpose of educational institutions could be limited to the process of increasing children's knowledge of the Torah.
In our times, and particularly in this country, the purpose of educational institutions is not only to increase knowledge, but above all, to instill in children a greater sense of our faith and of the observance of mitzvot in daily life.
In our present condition, freeing children during holiday periods deprives them of vital influence at a time when they need it most.
Therefore, I must urge those active in education, and all parents in general, to reassess the situation and do what is necessary to remedy the educational loss. Therefore, I suggest in particular:
a) To provide the opportunity for children to meet on Erev Yom Tov, or at least in the vicinity of Yom Tov, for the purpose of reviewing the laws and customs pertaining to the holiday, its meaning, significance, and message.
b) It is particularly necessary that also during the days of the festival, or at least in Chol Hamoed, teachers and instructors meet with the children in an appropriate place and time, for the purpose of taking advantage of these valuable days to inspire the children with the spirit of the festival and translate it into practical terms of daily life.
I'm not forgetting the technical challenges this entails, such as distances, the students' geographical dispersion, and similar issues. But surely, ways can be found to overcome them, since the meeting place doesn't necessarily have to be on the Yeshiva grounds, nor is it necessary to be strict about the age of the groups or classes, or their specific teachers, etc. What we have in mind is a broad and general program of instruction related to the holiday.
c) I urge Jewish parents not to rely entirely on educational institutions, taking into account the influence of the environment to which the child is exposed during his holidays; on the other hand, the child's absence from school imposes a special obligation on the parents, as it also gives him a rare opportunity for guidance and training by them.
May God help us to gather all Jewish boys and girls, regardless of which of the four categories mentioned in the Haggadah they currently belong to, so that they may all observe the "testimonies and statutes and laws that God, our God, commanded us"; that they may be curious and inclined to learn and follow the true answer of the Torah.
May the "gathering of the exiles," including the wayward and lost children, hasten the final gathering of the exiles of our people and our true and complete Redemption, through our righteous Messiah.
With blessings for a kosher and joyful Passover.
(Signature)