Rebbe and Reagan’s Historic Talk

By Lubavitch Archives

A new letter from the Rebbe to President Ronald Reagan sheds light on the Rebbe’s approach to education – not just for Jews, but for all human kind.

As the new year in school begins, many are insecure about what the future holds, are they educating their kids correctly and are there solutions. The Rebbe over the many years laid out an education blueprint and Lubavitch Archives published a selection of the Rebbe’s approach to education in Advice for Life: Education. More than 22,000 of the booklets were delivered by Shluchim and Chabad schools.

While many may not realize why Education Day USA is marked yearly by the President of the United States, this book will shed light on why that is the case.

“While being active in Jewish education nation-wide and world-wide,” the Rebbe explained in a 1984 letter to Professor Allan Dershowitz, about this phenomenon, “Lubavitch has been actively concerned also in general education, all the more so since many thousands of Jewish boys and girls receive their education in public schools in a strictly G-dless atmosphere. Indeed the Torah requires every Jew to promote the time-honored Divinely-given moral principles in the society which he lives.”

Over the years many letters of the Rebbe to President Ronald Regan were published, however, they are greetings and thank you letters. Presented here for the first time is a letter from May 1981, where the Rebbe discusses his foundational approach to education.

Reagan’s Historic Speech

In late March 1980 President Reagan, just a little more than two-months after he took oath of the highest office in the United States, he was shot in assassination attempt

In May 1981 he made his first public appearance and trip outside of Washington, DC, since the assassination attempt. The address, a commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, memorably and famously laid the foundation of his Conservative approach to politics. It is most noteworthy for his statement about Communism, “The West won’t contain communism, it will transcend communism. It won’t bother to dismiss or denounce it, it will dismiss it as some bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages are even now being written.”

The Rebbe quotes two statements, one from the beginning and one towards the end of the address, highlighting them and – although they were not said in that context – tying them in to the way the educational system should work.

The first was a story that the President was saying about Knute Rockne, at the time one of the most well-known American college football player and coach, “He believed truly,” the President said about Rochkne, “that the noblest work of man was building the character of man.”

The second quote was from Reagan’s passionate discussion of America’s interest in assisting other nations and what is the motivation for that intervention.

The Rebbe’s Letter

Shortly after the address the Rebbe wrote to Reagan, here is the letter:

Having just read excerpts from your address on May 17, I wish to let you know that I was both impressed and gratified to note your remarks on the role of education. I refer, particularly, to the following quotations which, though spoken in different contexts in the course of your address, are truly basic:

The noblest of man (is) molding the character of man.

…for America, the time has come to dare to show the world that our civilized ideas, our traditions, our values are not – like the ideology and war machine of totalitarian societies – a facade of strength. It is time the world knew that our intellectual and spiritual values are rooted in the source of real strength – a belief in a Supreme Being, a Law higher than our own.

When you, Mr. President, speak of the Nation’s intellectual and spiritual values, you are surely mindful of the fact that these values are cultivated and acquired through education, the primary function of which is the molding of character.

Moreover, you have, in effect, defined education as a national resource of the highest importance. Hence, while under the American system, public education is mainly the responsibility of state and local government, but being that the essential character and quality of education is measured not merely in terms of knowledge and technical skills, but more importantly in terms of moral values and spiritual strength – this is certainly the proper province and responsibility of the central government. Surely there is no more vital national resource than the one from which the nation must draw its spiritual strength.

We confidently look forward to the implementation of your espoused principles through the Department of Education. And, needless to say, since the matter concerns the growing generation, growing and developing day by day, time is of the essence.

With the summer recess approaching, one cannot help wondering how many juveniles could be encouraged to use their free time productively, rather than getting into mischief – if they were mindful of – to quote your words – a Supreme Being and a Law higher than man’s.

The President responded to the Rebbe’s letter:

The President continues to admire and respect your constant vigilance of one of the very foundations of our society, the education of our citizenry. It is not merely enough to provide an educational framework and assume that our obligations are fulfilled. We must continually provide both inspiration and enlightenment, not only to our youth but to all members of our nation. Only when the value of education and its role in providing for a better tomorrow is understood can we expect others to take full advantage of the benefits that accrue from meaningful learning.

In looking into our national spirit, that spirit which has enabled us to reach for greatness, one cannot help but marvel at the instrumental role played by education in molding our character. Our faith in the progress of the future is reinforced by our belief that a sound education will help provide us with the proper tools for spiritual and intellectual growth.

We must stand firm as guardians of that tenet. The President and Mrs. Reagan wished to pass along a special note of congratulations at the honor bestowed upon you by the New York State Legislature in proclaiming “New York State Eighty Days of Education” as a special tribute to you at the beginning of this, your eightieth year. I have been further asked to extend you every good wish as you pursue with diligence your deep and abiding commitment to education.

For more information on the booklet write to RebbeAdvice@Gmail.com