Sunday, April 2nd is Education Day USA.

Education Day is marked annually on the birthday of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. A towering spiritual leader of our time, the Rebbe inspired and guided people from across all walks of life to live a kinder and more purpose-oriented life.

Education, the Rebbe taught, is not simply the pursuit of knowledge, rather it must prepare a child for a life of purpose, meaning, and morality. It is not what we know, but who we are and how we act that counts. Education is more than how to earn a living; it is teaching how to live.

On the Rebbe's birthday, let us take a moment to reflect on how we can live a more kind and purpose filled life. It takes one good act to make our entire village, country, and the world around us a better place for all.

What can I do?

• Give The Rebbe encouraged giving charity daily, even in small increments, as a way to constantly be conscious of spreading kindness around us.

• Reflect Take a moment, alone or as a family, to reflect on the presence of G-d and the responsibility we have to be kind to others.

• Study The Rebbe’s teachings are more widely accessible than those of any other Jewish leader in history. Here are some short teachings from the Rebbe about education.

• Share the message of Education Day with others on social media. Use this post, or draft your own.

It Takes A Village

by Rabbi Shneur Itzinger

“It takes a village to raise a child” goes the ancient epigram. Some truths are self-evident, and this one seems to be accepted widely. In a village that prides itself on great schools, there are still numerous education opportunities that extend beyond the time our children are in the four walls of the school building.

Sometimes, it’s worthwhile to take a step back to look at the bigger picture of things. “Honor thy father and mother” is a year-round obligation, yet we have a day on the calendar dedicated to both fathers and mothers, honoring their contribution to our lives. What about for the children? Don’t we need a day for them as well?

Enter “Education Day USA”, observed this year on April 2nd. While not (yet) as well-known as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, the message of this day is crucial.

Education Day was designated by a congressional resolution with bi-partisan support in 1978, as a national day of reflection, inspired by the teachings and example of a man who has had the most profound impact on my life. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the most influential Jewish leader in modern history, known to millions worldwide as “the Rebbe'' (Yiddish for teacher). He led the Chabad-Lubavitch global Jewish movement from 1950 until his passing in 1994. In the decades since, his ideas continue to inspire humanity.

As a global spiritual leader, the Rebbe cared deeply for every individual and dedicated his life to promoting moral education and God consciousness for the benefit of all.  He taught that we can usher in an era of world peace through ensuring that all of humanity recognizes God and increasing in acts of goodness and kindness. The cornerstone of his philosophy was the idea that every person is indispensable; every single one of us has a God given mission and the power to actualize it.

Born in Mykolaiv, Ukraine in 1902, he resided in Berlin in the 1930s when the Nazis rose to power, and witnessed firsthand a society that prided itself with advanced academia spiraling down to depraved genocide. The Rebbe often pointed to this dark period in history as proof that only God-given values can compel an individual to be considerate of society as a whole. In recognition of his efforts in this regard Congress established Education Day to be observed annually on his birthday, four days before Passover, as a time to pause and reflect on our personal responsibility to provide our young people with a moral education.

A child must be taught how to be a "mensch" - someone who is compassionate, caring, and conscious of a Higher Power. While academic success is undoubtedly important, it should not be the sole focus of education. We need to equip our children with the necessary tools to interact with others and contribute to society in a positive way by providing within them a moral compass to guide them through life.

A genuine value system, the Rebbe taught, can only come from an awareness of the Creator of all beings. Parents go to great lengths to ensure children receive the best possible education. However, while we focus on the "three Rs" - reading, writing, and arithmetic - it is equally important to teach our children to Recognize God and the Responsibility we all have to Him to Respect each other.

The Rebbe gave the following example to consider: you wouldn’t send your child to school without a snack, but does your child have the necessary tools to eat their food? Do they recognize where it came from? Respect the person who lovingly prepared it for them? Share it with someone less privileged than them? The sandwich is but a microcosm of the future adult’s ability to interact with others in a morally mindful way.

Education Day is observed this year on Sunday, April 2 and Mayor Tomko issued a proclamation recognizing its observance in Chagrin Falls.

A village like ours, with its peaceful and friendly environment, is a great place for a child to grow up recognizing these ideas. Education Day can be utilized to further promote awareness of God in our lives. Take a moment at the start of each day, alone or as a family, to contemplate the existence of "an Eye that sees and an Ear that hears" and be motivated to spread goodness and kindness around us. It only takes one kind act to make our village, country and the world around us a better place for all.