The Mission Statement that Changed the Jewish World

Seventy-five years ago tonight, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, assumed leadership of the Chabad movement.

At the time, there were only a handful of Chabad Chasidim in the United States; a cluster of Russian refugees, Polish holocaust survivors and a few American Jews drawn to the movement in the '30s and '40s.

The Rebbe was keenly aware of American Jewry. When the world at large saw trends of assimilation and secularization, fearing “The Vanishing American Jew,” the Rebbe saw the untapped American energy as a powerful resource for catalyzing a sea-change in Jewish identity.

In his inaugural address, the Rebbe laid out his vision for Chabad in a uniquely American manner:

“The Talmud says that “When you come to a city, follow as its customs.” Here in America it is customary to 'make a statement'” the Rebbe said. “…I guess this means we should follow the local custom.”

So the Rebbe issued a “statement”:

"The three loves — love of G-d, love of Torah and love of one's fellow Jew — are one. One cannot differentiate between them, for they are of a single essence… And since they are of a single essence, each one embodies all three."

Thus he continued: “When there is love of G-d but not love of Torah and love of Israel, this means that the love of G-d is also lacking. On the other hand, when there is love of a fellow Jew, this will eventually bring also a love of Torah and a love of G-d…

"When we will have the three loves together, we will achieve the Redemption. For just as this last Galut (exile) was caused by a lack of brotherly love, so shall the final and immediate Redemption be achieved by love for one's fellow."

In the ensuing decades, the Rebbe's words became the mission statement of thousands of Chabad Houses and outreach centers throughout the world. More significantly, they heralded a sea change in the way that Jews regarded their heritage, their G‑d, and each other. 

It is no exaggeration to say that the "statement" issued that evening by a 48-year-old Holocaust survivor changed the face of world Jewry.

Wishing you an uplifting week!

Rabbi Mendy & Mussy

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