Legislature Marks Rebbe’s Birthday

California Chabad flexed their rabbinical muscles on Monday, March 22, 2010 as part of their 2nd annual Chabad Lobbying in Sacramento.

The Rabbis not only handed out Matzah to elected officials, but met with California’s powerful Speaker Perez and Silicon Valley Assemblyman Ruskin to talk about how they could be of service to the state, especially when social and moral program decisions are made.

“It was unbelievable that the Speaker of the House talked to a group Rabbis and asked for the Torah’s advice on how to cut the budget,” Rabbi Mendel Cohen, the event’s co-host said. “He also spoke to us in Yiddish, was familiar with the Chabad House 4 blocks from his home, and urged us to organize and become involved in the legislative process because we have something important to say.”

“It was an amazing way to bond with state leaders,” Chabad of the Valley’s Rabbi Yanky Cahn said. “We got to know each other, and that was a great feeling.”

As part of the event’s success, the California State Senate also granted Rabbi Cohen a special honor – he opened the State Senate with an invocation just before accepting a Senate Resolution declaring Passover Education Week.

The senate announced, that from the Rebbe’s birthday until after Pesach would be education days in the state of California – not only this year, but in future years as well.

“This was a tremendous opportunity for Rabbis to work together with state leaders,” Rabbi Elchonon Tenenbaum from Napa Valley said. “It signaled a great future for us to work together in harmony.”

“Dedication of this period gives us a tailor made event each year,” Michael Ross, event co-organizer said. “That means next year we will expand the program and take our efforts statewide.”

According to Rabbi Avremel Brod from Stockton, “This event was unbelievable – it was a tremendous Kiddish Hashem.”

“Next year, we hope to have a similar resolution passed in a dozen California cities and then hold an educational Seder in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland/Berkeley, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego,” said Ross. “The Sedar will educate local political and community leaders about the Chabad mission, as well as the importance of Passover to Jews around the world.”

This event is one of four holiday oriented events that Chabad of Sacramento holds yearly in the California State Capitol. The events are held on Passover, Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah and Purim.

“I would like to work with Chabad Rabbis around the country (and world) to put on events like these in their capitols and home towns,” Ross concluded.