Igrot Kodesh · Letter 888 — Chinuch

By the grace of Hashem,

Erev Shabbos Kodesh

5 Shevat 5711,

Brooklyn,

To the seventh annual conference of the

Committee for the Protection and Development

of Proper Education,

which is under Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch*,

Greetings and blessings,

Divine Providence has arranged that you take part in the fundamental and important work of the committee for the promotion of chinuch*, and in particular in the Released Time program. In this way, to use the expression of my father-in-law, the Rebbe, you have delivered and continue to deliver thousands of children from total ignorance of Yiddishkeit*. Thanks to the positive influence you exert, hundreds of children, little boys and little girls, have been able to receive a proper chinuch*.

Your accomplishments in this matter are the most important spiritual tzedaka* that can be given to those who are poor in their knowledge. It enables one, properly speaking, to save their lives. Nothing can equal such a mitzvah*, which, moreover, can be performed by no one else.

I hope that you will strengthen yourselves, to the full extent of your means, to fortify and broaden your work, to increase the number of children who attend the Released Time program and the number of places where it is established, in accordance with your program. Thus, an even more considerable number of children distant from observance will rediscover their roots, the Torah, and Yiddishkeit*.

I also hope that the broadest circles and the largest number of Jews, men and women, will become aware of their duty and merit to support your work, by every possible means.

The merit of saving these Jewish children morally will enable you to receive Heavenly blessings, with the members of your family and all yours, for your work and for all your needs, personal, material, and spiritual, in accordance with the assurance of our master, my father-in-law, the Rebbe.

With my blessing for great success,

M. Schneerson,