By the Grace of G-d 17th of Teveth 5712 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sholom u’Brocho:

It is with pleasure that I send my heartfelt greetings and blessing to all participants in this year’s annual celebration of the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth Tomche Tmimim of the U.S.A., since by your very presence you have demonstrated your desire to share in the great Zechus of supporting, and continuously so, these holy institutions.

American Jews who keep their eyes and warm hearts open to the position of Jewry in this land, recognize the tremendous service rendered by my father-in-law, the late Lubavitcher Rabbi, of sainted memory, through his ramified activities, and through the Yeshivoth in particular.

The profound and far-reaching influence exercised by the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth on the American Jewish scene, and the exemplary Mesiras-Nefesh of their students and alumni, are well known.

Unfortunately, the United Lubavitcher Yeshivoth Tomche Tmimim are undergoing a serious financial crisis, which not only hinders their necessary expansion, but threatens, G-d forbid, their very existence.

The importance of Tzedoko needs no elaboration. However, sometimes one may make calculations or find motives for wish­ing to curtail one’s contributions.

It should be fully appreciated that the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth are among the most important factors working for the spread of Torah with Yiras-Shomaim, and, furthermore, for the individual and communal wellbeing of American Jewry. In the face of this, personal reasons or calculations must be set aside to give the utmost support to the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth.

I hope and trust that all of you, friends of the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth Tomche Tmimim, will make your utmost effort and maximum contributions to these institutions, in order to free them from the burden of deficits, and enable them to continue their work without financial hindrance.

The Almighty does not remain in debt, and all who do their duty to the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth will surely be rewarded in the fulfillment of their needs.

I wish to conclude my message to you with the words of our teacher, my father-in-law of sainted memory, written in his last letter to the participants of the annual dinner of the Lubavitcher Yeshivoth two years ago:¹

May G-d strengthen the health of all of you, and give you all good and ample Parnoso, and that we all together, with all ours, merit to see the rise of the Torah and Old Israel, and the speedy Redemption through our Righteous Redeemer, to lead us upright to our Holy Land, speedily in our time. Amen.

With blessing,

(Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson)