By the Grace of G‑d
After Shavous, 5740
Brooklyn, N.Y.

To All participants in the
25th Jubilee Celebration of the
Rabbinical College of America
Morristown, N.J.

Greeting and Blessing:

I was pleased to be informed of the forthcoming 25th Jubilee Celebration of the Rabbinical College of America, and I extend congratulations and prayerful wishes to all the participants in this notable event.

There is a meaningful relevance in the date of this event – the 3rd day of Tammuz, the day which, fifty-three years ago, marked the beginning of the liberation process of my predecessor, my father-in-law of saintly memory. On that day his prison sentence was commuted to exile, and nine days later, on his birthday, 12th of Tammuz, he was completely exonerated. His “crime”? He was virtually the only one who dared openly defy the regime’s policy of trying to stamp out religious education. However, due to his indomitable resolve to carry the torch of Torah and living Judaism in the face of overwhelming odds, he came out victorious with G‑d’s help. Moreover, it is largely due to his achievements during the years of his leadership that there still is a vibrant Russian Jewry.

Recalling that historic struggle should make everyone of us, and all freedom loving people, appreciate most deeply the blessing of religious freedom in this land, where, far from encountering harassment in the pursuit of religious liberty and the preservation of spiritual heritage, one can do it with dignity and respect and encouragement.

The celebration of the 25th Jubilee of the Rabbinical College of America certainly marks an important milestone in Torah education. I hope and trust it will inspire everyone who is associated with this great institution of learning to even greater appreciation of the privilege and obligation that go with it, to ensure that it will grow and flourish and continue to enrich Jewish life, as well as of the American nation as a whole, by its lasting contribution.

With esteem and blessing
M. Schneerson