By the Grace of G-d Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 5726 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

This year’s Annual Banquet is taking place within several days of Shovuos, the Festival of Mattan Torah, the Giving of the Torah at Sinai. I trust that all participants will bring with them to the Banquet a goodly measure of the inspiration and joy of this great Yom Tov, and make the Banquet the success it deserves in every respect.

Our Sages tell us that when G-d was about to give the Torah at Mount Sinai, He requested guarantors to ensure that the Torah would be studied and observed. All guarantees were rejected, until Moshe Rabbeinu declared: “Our children will be our guarantors!” Without this guaranty, not even Moshe Rabbeinu could have received the Torah. Henceforth it became the responsibility of Moshe Rabbeinu and, indeed, of all Jews to see to it that the Torah and Torah-way of life would be perpetuated through our children.

The Torah is called Torah Chaim, the Torah of life, meaning that it is both the source of everlasting life as well as the true guide in the daily life, for Torah means “guidance” and “instruction.” It is the Divine and eternal Torah which we receive annually on Shovuos and, indeed, every day throughout the year we renew and reaffirm our eternal bond with it, as it has been throughout the ages and in all places wherever Jews have lived.

It is the work of the Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch in many parts of this country and the world over, to strengthen the bond between our Jewish people and the Torah, and particularly to see to it that the children would be able, not only to receive their great heritage, but also transmit it for future generations. Fortunate indeed is the Jewish community of the Twin Cities to have the Merkos in its midst, and to have also many devoted friends and dedicated partners in this very vital endeavor.

May the Almighty bless each and every one of you with success in your efforts in behalf of our children — “our guarantors” for the perpetuation of our Jewish way of life and, indeed, for our survival and happy future.

With blessing,

M. Schneerson