This letter was addressed to the seventh annual conference of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education.

B”H, Erev Shabbos, 5 Shvat, 5711,
Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

[G‑d’s] sublime providence found you worthy to participate in the great and significant work of a committee dealing with education and, in particular, [“Release Time,”] the hour of religious education1 which — in the words of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, הכ"מ — has removed and is removing the shame and blemish of being entirely ignorant about Judaism from thousands of Jewish children. Hundreds of children — boys and girls — may their numbers grow, have begun to receive a kosher [Jewish] education through their positive influence.

The work you do towards this goal is a tremendous act of charity to those “poor in knowledge.2“ It actually saves lives. For such a mitzvah, particularly since it cannot be performed by others, no self-sacrifice is too great.

I hope that you will stretch yourselves to the full extent of your capacities to enlarge and expand your work, increasing the number of children and the number of locations for [“Release Time”] — the hour of religious education under your program — that brings Jewish children who are, for the time being, estranged [from their roots] back to their source in Torah and in Judaism.

I hope that the widest circles among thinking Jews — men and women — will recognize their obligation and merit to support your work with all their capacities.

In the merit of saving the souls of Jewish children may you, your helpers, and your supporters be blessed by G‑d in your work, in your personal concerns, and in everything that you need, according to the blessings of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, הכ"מ, in both material and spiritual matters.

With blessings for great success,

M. Schneerson