You may have heard the anecdote of three mothers sitting in a park, debating when life truly begins.

The first says, “Life begins at conception.”
The second counters, “No, life begins at birth.”
The Jewish mother shakes her head and says, “You're both wrong—life begins when the child gets their college degree.”

On December 13, 2023, a Menorah lighting celebration took place in front of Harvard’s Widener Library. Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, the Director of the Harvard Chabad, addressed a gathering of students and faculty.

During his speech, Rabbi Zarchi recounted a significant moment in the history of the Menorah lighting tradition at Harvard.