With prayer, Torah study, self-reflection and acts of kindness, people from all walks of life in every corner of the globe today have been commemorating the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
As many as 50,000 visitors from around the world gathered at the Ohel—the resting place of the Rebbe—in Queens, N.Y., to mark the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) on Gimmel Tammuz, the third day of the Hebrew month of Tammuz. And Chassidic farbrengens (informal Chassidic gatherings) are being held at hundreds of Chabad-Lubavitch centers around the world.
At the Ohel, thousands waited patiently in line throughout the night to deliver their handwritten requests for blessings, and to internalize the Rebbe’s devotion to G‑d, the Torah and the Jewish people.
Countless others around the world joined with rabbis, friends and family to study and reflect, using the time as an opportunity to more intensely absorb the Rebbe’s message and goals.
In the week leading up to the yahrtzeit, the chief rabbis of Israel called for worldwide commemoration of this day with increased mitzvah observance.
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef called upon “each and every person to continue [the Rebbe’s] vision and carry out his directives,” enumerating that on the day of the yahrtzeit, people should “set aside time to study the Torah and Jewish law, enhance our prayers, increase our charity, perform random acts of kindness and draw our brethren near.”
Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi David Lau issued a call for “increased vigor in the perpetuation of his legacy,” explaining the unique relevance of the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit to all Jews by citing the Talmudic sages’ as saying: “The righteous are considered alive even after their passing.”
Countless readers around the world were assisted in commemorating the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit online, by consulting "What to Do on 3 Tammuz: Six simple suggestions for the Anniversary of the Rebbe" and its counterpart "The Insiders Guide to the Third of Tammuz" on the newly redesigned TheRebbe.org, including the opportunity to send in prayer petitions that will be placed at the Ohel, as is customary.
There were many events around the world in the week leading up to the yahrtzeit, all of them calling for increased study of the Rebbe’s teachings, as well as dedication in practical action to his life and legacy.
At a day-long program titled “Soul Encounters: A Journey of Connection, Reflection and Upliftment,” hosted by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), hundreds packed into Queens College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts in New York City on Sunday.
Those assembled heard from Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement; Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, the vice chairman of Merkos; Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael (Steinsaltz); and Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi of Israel David Lau, among other educators and presenters.
Official Proclamations and Programs
Around the nation came official proclamations and programs to mark the day.
On Monday, in a joint resolution, the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly unanimously declared July 1, 2014, as a “Day of Good Deeds” throughout the Garden State.
In Missouri, Gov. Jay Nixon has also proclaimed July 1 as a “Day of Good Deeds,” encouraging his constituents “to increase in their acts of goodness and kindness towards one another.”
Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington and Gov. John P. de Jongh Jr. of the U.S. Virgin Islands have also taken note of July 1 as a special day in history, encouraging good deeds throughout their home states and more.
Connecticut’s Gov. Dannel P. Malloy declared a “Day of Goodness and Kindness” in his state—a practice he started two years ago—asking people to do something special in honor of the Rebbe and his legacy.
In fact, Gimmel Tammuz will be recognized in the Connecticut State Capitol on Thursday, July 9. A formal program in the Senate chamber—followed by an exploration of the Rebbe’s teachings in a Senate judiciary room—will offer the chance for attendees to “nourish not only their bodies, but their minds and souls” over food and learning, according to Rabbi Yisrael Deren, regional director, Chabad Lubavitch of Western and Southern New England.
“The Rebbe taught that every human being is infinitely important, and every positive act is cause for celebration,” said Deren. “It is with these teachings and ideals that he continues to impact the lives of so many in our great state and beyond.”
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