Harvard’s Menorah
Harvard Students & Faculty lighting the Menorah, led by Chabad Rabbi Zarchi
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, which included Harvard President Claudine Gay.
During his speech, Rabbi Zarchi recounted a significant moment in the history of the Menorah lighting tradition at Harvard.
Rabbi Zarchi recalled that the tradition of lighting the Menorah in Harvard Yard first began 24 years ago, when a student named Aviva Preminger asked the dean if the Jewish students at the university could light the Menorah on campus.
"His initial answer was no, it can't happen because at Harvard we don't have religious symbols in the Yard. So she looked out of his office and took a peek at the church. To his credit, [the dean] gave a big smile and said 'Aviva, go put up your menorah.'"
"That was a great moment, but there's something that I never spoke about publicly but this bothers me to this very day. Do you know what happens to this menorah after everyone leaves the Yard? We have to pack it away and hide it because the university doesn’t allow us to keep it overnight. There's been a fear of vandalism since the first Chanukah, and we are instructed to remove it because of concerns about potential criminal activity, which doesn't reflect well on the university."
“Think about that. We’re trying to fix the world, the future leaders of the world, and on our campus, in the shadow of Widener Library, we in the Jewish community are instructed … ‘Don’t leave the menorah out overnight, because there will be criminal activity … and it won’t look good.’”
“You know when change is going to happen on this campus? When we don’t have to pack up the menorah,” Zarchi concluded.
In regards to any issue, it's crucial to delve into the root cause rather than merely focusing on the symptoms. What we are witnessing at the Ivy league universities since Oct. 7th are unfortunately not isolated occurrences. These issues highlight a significant erosion of the foundation of a just society, which unfortunately has permeated our public schools and higher education institutions.
There's a prevalent theory suggesting that material success and academic accomplishments are pivotal for creating a civilized society. The idea is that by ensuring a high quality of life, we can keep our youth away from immorality, crime, drugs, addictions, and other harmful behaviors.
While achieving wealth and academic success is undoubtedly a blessing, it fails to guarantee happiness, meaning, and morality. In fact, some of the most sophisticated cultures, ranging from ancient Romans and Greeks to Nazi Germany, have committed appalling atrocities in the pursuit of progress and elitism.
For many decades, the prevailing notion about the conflicts in the Middle East was that by making painful concessions to the Palestinians and investing billions of dollars into their economy, we could transform the region and achieve peace. However, this theory overlooks a crucial point: peace cannot be purchased from a populace taught to harbor hatred and hostility towards those attempting to assist them. To attain genuine and enduring peace, the essential starting point lies in reforming the education system.
The primary responsibility of educators and educational institutions lies in instilling in our youth good values, morals, faith, character, and purpose. These principles aren't solely the domain of academic institutions; it's also the duty of parents and caregivers to educate children from birth, guiding them to discern right from wrong based on G-d-given morals and ethics.
This holds true for any society, and it's equally crucial for the continuity and success of the Jewish people.
In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about Joseph's emotional reunion with his brothers after a series of dramatic events. Eventually, Joseph invites his family to resettle in Egypt, promising to care for their needs as the second in command of Egypt.
Preparing for their move, Jacob instructs his son Judah to go ahead. The verse states, “He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen." (Genesis 46:28)
The Midrash interprets the unusual inclusion of the phrase "to direct him (Hebrew: להורת לפניו)” as Jacob instructing Judah to establish a Jewish school, an institution from where direction and inspiration will go forth, in anticipation of their arrival.
When establishing a new Jewish community, numerous needs must be considered, including housing, jobs, food, and communal necessities. Being that Egypt was a world superpower at the time, one would imagine that there were enough pre-existing educational institutions there already. Why was it necessary for Jacob to make Jewish education a priority?
Jacob understood that without Jewish educational institutions, there would be no Jewish future. This episode teaches us the eternal lesson of the importance of a Jewish education for ourselves and our children. The secret to Jewish continuity across millennia lies in the centrality of Jewish education.
Ancient tyrants and anti-Semites like Pharaoh, Haman, the Greeks, and more recently, Communist Russia, sought to eradicate and ban Jewish education to destroy the Jewish people. They recognized the key to Jewish survival. Fortunately, they did not succeed, and we stand today more empowered than before.
The Jewish people, one of the oldest nations, have endured diverse and challenging conditions over centuries, scattered worldwide, speaking different languages, and absorbing various cultures. Yet, the constant factor preserving our people through all challenges has been our commitment to our spiritual heritage through Torah study, observance of Mitzvot, and providing a Jewish education to our children.
Our resilience doesn't stem from land, language, culture, race, or genetics; rather, it's our dedication to our Jewish values and teachings. This commitment has enabled us to withstand assaults on the Jewish body and soul by dictators and tyrants throughout history.
In light of everything occurring in the world around us, let us make a concerted effort to spend a few more minutes each day with our kids, teaching them the fundamental teachings of Judaism and our unique mission in this world. Let's strive to ensure every Jewish child has the ability to enroll in a Jewish school, ideally full-time or at the very least a vibrant Hebrew School along with Jewish experiential learning at home to instill within our children a powerful love and relevant connection to our Jewish identity.
Together, we'll secure a vibrant Jewish future and pave the way for the final Redemption!
