Jewish Education

What a traumatic and deplorable state of affairs.

Hundreds and thousands of children barred from school... and everyone is sitting idle.

Where are the rabbis? Where are the community leaders?

The Crown Heights rabbonim are quite vocal when they wish to be. We hear from them about Mic Drops, Shofar Calls, Eruv controversies, shechita disputes, and even about their petty squabbling with other rabbis.

When it comes to asserting their rabbinic authority, no holds are barred, so to speak. The only ones who are barred are the twenty-six thousand children, cruelly barred from school, including hundreds and thousands of Jewish children from attending yeshivos and day schools in their own communities.

And what do we hear from those rabbonim on this current crisis? What do we hear from rabbis of other communities across New York State?

Crickets.

Their silence is deafening.

What are they possibly so busy with that excuses them from their shameful inaction on this dire emergency facing klal yisroel?

What are they doing to justify their competency as rabbis if they cannot raise a finger to protest this grave injustice against the most precious and holiest members of our communities, tinokos shel beis rabban?

How can anyone remain silent in the face of this unspeakable failure and appalling lapse in leadership?

There are no words.

It is so exasperating.

All I can do is share the Lubavitcher Rebbe's poignant and heartfelt pleas on this very topic.

Although we have not heard the Rebbe's holy voice for over 27 years, I can envision him exhorting us right now, repeating these same lines (paraphrasing):

"Enough excuses and enough inaction!

"Do something for the Jewish child who is being deprived a Jewish education in your own community!

"Do something for the Jewish child on your own street corner!"