Education and sharing day celebrated this week

Education and Sharing Day was April 9, commemorating the teachings of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, one of the most revered and influential Jewish leaders in recent times.

Education and Sharing Day promotes the Rebbe’s dedication to pursuing and celebrating a personal education in not only information, but an education in values, morals and ethics.

“The idea is it honors the Rebbe, but more importantly it honors the Rebbe’s contribution and the fact that he was such a great advocate for education,” Rabbi Mendy Greenberg of the Mat-Su Jewish Center Chabad said.

This year’s Education and Sharing Day occurs on the 11th day of Nisan and the 123rd birthday of the Rebbe. April 9 is also the Hebrew birthday, occurring four days before the Passover holiday.

Celebrating and acknowledging the Education and Sharing Day is an ongoing tradition dating back to 1978, and has been recognized by the U.S. Presidents, the Alaska State governor and mayors across the Mat-Su Borough.

The basis of Education and Sharing Day is to spotlight the Rebbe’s teachings on focusing on the foundation of education. Rabbi Greenberg explained that the teachings help individuals focus on the knowledge they have and what they can use that knowledge for.

“The education the Rebbe is talking about, is education of values, education of morals and ethics, which is so important and so crucial for the health of any society to make sure that we are healthy and kind and just and upright standing citizens,” Rabbi Greenberg said. “That we should have a very strong foundation of morals, of values, of ethics.”

Schools in the Mat-Su begin each day with a minute of silence for students and teachers. This allows students a time to reflect, to look inward and to grow and promote themselves. Rabbi Greenberg suggests that parents have conversations with their children on how to use that time and consider what's important to them, with focus on the values of family, honesty, integrity and kindness.

Rabbi Greenberg said that while Education and Sharing Day is recognized once per year, it leads to mindfulness, compassion and selflessness through positive daily action. One way he recommends that people practice is the act of charity and to receive the benefits of practicing it.

“In Jewish religion and teachings, it says that the one who gives charity actually gains more than the one who gets charity,” Rabbi Greenberg said. “And the reason for that is because every time we do a good deed, every time we do a kind act, we are actually exercising our kindness, our inherent kindness muscle that we have inside us. But without exercising it, without acting on that kindness muscle, it gets weak.”

The Rebbe established thousands of educational institutions across the world. Celebrating Education and Sharing Day carries on his legacy of promoting education, sharing, kindness and goodness.