SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 186
WHEREAS, For more than four decades, every U.S. president
has declared the annual observance of Education and Sharing Day
in honor of the birthday of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and
his contributions to education; and
WHEREAS, One of the most celebrated figures in 20th century
Judaism, Rabbi Schneerson was born in Ukraine in 1902; he
demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for religious scholarship at
a young age, mastering the entire Talmud and many of its
commentaries by the age of 17; in the 1920s, he became part of the
inner circle of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the leader of the
Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Judaism, and he married the Rebbe's
daughter, Chaya Mushka; forced to flee Berlin and later Paris
because of Nazi anti-Semitism, the couple settled in New York
City in 1941; and
WHEREAS, In 1951, Rabbi Schneerson officially succeeded
his father-in-law as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and over the next 44
years, he built the movement into a worldwide community of
200,000 members; a strong advocate for children and education, he
believed that schools should stress both academic achievement
and character building, and he established several thousand
Orthodox Jewish schools and educational centers around the globe
before his passing in 1994; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of Rabbi Schneerson's advocacy,
President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first Education and
Sharing Day in 1978, and the tradition has continued each year
since; the rabbi's birthday is celebrated on 11 Nissan of the
Jewish liturgical calendar, or four days before Passover, and in
2021 it falls on March 24; his accolades further include a
Congressional Gold Medal, which he received posthumously in
1995; and
WHEREAS, In the midst of a global pandemic that has disrupted
traditional models of education across the nation, Education and
Sharing Day represents an important opportunity for Texans to
reflect not just on how to foster academic achievement in young
people but also on the core values that should be imparted to
children and adults alike; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 87th Texas Legislature
hereby recognize March 24, 2021, as Education and Sharing Day.
Menéndez, Blanco
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 24, 2021.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate