By the Grace of G-d20th of Adar, 5751 Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing!

I was pleased to be informed of the forthcoming event taking place on the 24th of Adar. I take pleasure in extending congratulations and prayerful wishes to the worthy honorees, distinguished guests and all participants. May it be blessed with a full measure of achievement both materially and spiritually.

It is highly significant that this event is taking place in a year which has a special feature, whereby this year differs from other years.

The specific feature of this year is that the two days of Rosh Hashanah occur on the 5th and 6th days of the week (Thursday and Friday, erev Shabbos) leading directly into the holy Shabbos. Thus having three consecutive days filled with holiness.

There is a well-known principle in our holy Torah: “What is repeated three times acquires the force of chazakah (permanence).” The term is derived from the word chozek, strength, and carries an assured presumption that having occurred three times, it will take hold and continue the same way.

If this principle applies in regard to non-obligatory matters, it is certainly true in regard to matters of holiness that already have the quality of everlasting Torah endurance, where each action has a lasting and perpetual impact.

How much more so in the case of Rosh Hashanah which is designated, literally, the Head (Rosh) of the year, not just “beginning” of the year. This means that in addition to being the beginning of the year it is (also, and essentially) the “head of the year.” Just as the head directs all the organs of the body, and it is only in this way that each organ carries out its purpose in the fullest measure, also as an organ per se - so Rosh Hashanah directs and animates each and every day of the year in all particulars of the daily life -

Hence it is understandable that since there is a chazakah in the state of holiness mentioned above, it exercises a very strong influence on the entire year, so that all one’s activities, in each and all days of the year, are carried out under the strong influence of the sublime holiness of the first three days of the year.

It is also significant that this event is taking place in the month of Adar, the month in which we celebrated the festival of Purim.

Purim reminds us that the secret to Jewish survival is to be found in the authentic Jewish education which we instill in our children to the degree of “Mesiras Nefesh” (self-sacrifice).

This is also the basic function of a Congregation to gather Jewish children together - children in the plain sense of the word and “children” in terms of knowledge of G-d, His Torah and Mitzvos - and teach them in a manner that would imbue them with fear of G-d and to observe the Torah and commandments.

Bearing all the above in mind, I am confident that each and everyone of the participants in this event will increase on a consistently growing measure your support for the vital activities of the Congregation, thus keeping the light of Torah shining even more brightly in your area and the world over.

Hashem will surely bless you with Hatzlocho in this endeavor as well as in all your needs both materially and spiritually.

With esteem and blessing

M. Schneerson