In the early 20th century, a concept called Released Time was introduced into American Public Education. The idea was that parents could sign their children up to be released from class and receive religious instruction off school premises once a week. In New York City this takes place on Wednesday afternoon. Since the early 1940s, Chabad has been very instrumental in providing these “Released Time” or “Wednesday Hour” opportunities for Jewish public-school children.
When I was a Rabbinic student at 770 in New York in 1996, I participated in this program as a volunteer instructor. Each Wednesday at noon we would gather in the office of National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE), to receive our supplies and travel to the school to which we were assigned (mine was in Queens). We would collect the Jewish children who were signed up for the program and walk with them to a nearby Synagogue (mine was Young Israel of Queens Valley). We would pray with the children, give them snacks, teach them about an upcoming holiday or Torah concept, and then walk them back to the school. My son Sholom is currently involved in this organization. It is much more active than it was in my days. They have day camps during school breaks. They have special events that keep the kids more engaged.
I recently heard a story about Released Time told by Rabbi Aharon Cousin, a Chabad Educator from London, England, who was a Rabbinic Student in 770 in the 1950s. He shared that his very studious roommate was a bit disillusioned by the need to volunteer with Released Time. He felt that it took time away from his studies. Furthermore, he believed that the impact on the children was negligible; they were just in it for the snacks and the time away from class. He wrote to the Rebbe asking to be exempted from volunteering for Released Time. The Rebbe replied to him, “You should know that all of the souls in heaven, including the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu, are envious of you when you recite the Shema with a child at Released Time.”
Even though the impact of Released Time on the lives of children is immeasurable, and many paths toward greater Jewish engagement began at those “Wednesday Hour” meetings, the mere fact that a child recites the Shema, when they otherwise would not have, is of supreme significance. As the Rebbe pointed out, the great souls in heaven recognize the value even as we do not.
Each time one of Hashem’s children connects with Him through the simple recitation of the Shema, that has infinite value in Hashem’s eyes. This brings great merit and blessings to the person who facilitated that connection. As the saying goes, “We connect people to Hashem yiddle by yiddle.”
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin