11 Nissan
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = 11 Nissan
| type = commemoration
| image = Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson2.jpg
| image_size = 175px
| caption = Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
| official_name =
| observedby = Chabad-Lubavich community
| significance = Birthday of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
| duration = 1 day
| frequency = Annual
| date = 11 Nissan
| scheduling = Same day each year according to the Jewish Calendar
| date{{LASTYEAR}} = April 2
| date{{CURRENTYEAR}} = April 9
| date{{NEXTYEAR}} = March 29
| date{{NEXTYEAR|2}} = April 18
}}
{{Short description|Chabad-Lubavitch Holiday}}
{{Chabad sidebar}}
11 Nissan or Yud Aleph Nissan (Hebrew: י״א נִיסָן {{Transliteration|he|Yūʾd ʾAl ef Nī sān}} {{Literal translation|the eleventh of Nissan}}) is a holiday on the Chabad-Lubavitch calendar that marks the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Rabbi Schneerson was born on April 5, 1902 corresponding to 11 Nissan 5662.
History
Leading up to the Lubavitcher Rebbe's birth, Chabad-Lubavitch was under the leadership of the Frierdiker Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. His mother Rebbetzin Chana Schneersohn had two sons already, Dovber Schneerson and Yisroel Aryeh Leib Schneerson.{{Cite web |title=Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902 - 1994) |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/rabbi-menachem-mendel-schneerson-jewish-virtual-library |website=Jewish virtual library}}
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was born on {{OldStyleDate|April 18|1902|April 5}} (11 Nissan, 5662), in the Black Sea port of Nikolaev in the Russian Empire (now Mykolaiv in Ukraine).Joseph Telushkin, Rebbe: The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History. HarperCollins, 2014. Page 455
The Lubavitcher Rebbe would observe the Frierdiker Rebbe's birthday, 12 Tammuz, by visiting the Ohel (the gravesite of the Frierdiker Rebbe) every year.
During the Rebbe’s leadership, the
Rebbe would observe his birthday, 11 Nissan (as well as 25 Adar, the Rebbetzin’s birthday) as a special day every year by going to the Ohel. In 5712 (the Rebbe’s fiftieth birthday), the Rebbe said a maamar to a group of Chassidim, and in 5722 (the Rebbe’s sixtieth birthday) the Rebbe held a special farbrengen. From 5731 onwards, the Rebbe held a farbrengen or said a sicha each year in connection with Yud-Alef Nissan.{{Cite journal |date=February 2018 |title=MIVTZA YOM HULEDES |url=https://derher.org/wp-content/uploads/66-Adar-5778-07.pdf |journal=A Chassidisher Derher |issue=66 |pages=33}}
From the beginning of the Rebbe's leadership, it was customary for followers of the Rebbe, mainly students of Tomchei Tmimim to arrange a Yechidut (private audience) with the Lubavitcher Rebbe or write a Pan (personal letter) to him on their Hebrew birthday.
After the Lubavitcher Rebbe passed away on June 12, 1994 (3 Tammuz 5754), his followers intensified their celebrations of his birthday, observing it with even greater enthusiasm than when he was alive.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-19 |title=Weekly Dvar Torah: Happy Birthday Rebbe, Happy Birthday Chassidim |url=https://crownheights.info/something-jewish/863718/weekly-dvar-torah-happy-birthday-rebbe-happy-birthday-chassidim/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=CrownHeights.info |language=en}}
Commemoration
Followers of the Lubavitcher Rebbe commemorate his birthday every year on 11 Nissan, recognizing it as a time for reflection on the Rebbe's contributions to Jewish life and his leadership.{{Cite web |date=2017-02-23 |title=The Tisch: Happy Birthday |url=https://elmad.pardes.org/the-maggid-of-melbourne-speaks/hasidic-lore-series/2017/02/the-tisch-happy-birthday/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Elmad Pardes's Digital Library |language=en}}
Many followers from around the world visit 770 Eastern Parkway (the headquarters of Chabad as well as the synagogue of the Lubavitcher Rebbe) and the Ohel (the gravesite of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Frierdiker Rebbe).{{Cite web |date=2024-04-19 |title=Joyous Farbrengen Celebrates Rebbe's Birthday at 770 |url=https://collive.com/joyous-farbrengen-celebrates-rebbes-birthday-at-770-2 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}}
Some Chabad followers conduct special gatherings such as rallies and concerts, often attracting thousands of participants.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-14 |title=For their late leader's milestone 120th birthday, Chabad Jews stage a worldwide celebration |url=https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-704109 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}
Recognition
{{Main|Education and Sharing Day}}
The United States recognizes 11 Nissan as "Education and Sharing Day," In 1978, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution to designate this day in recognition of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's efforts to promote educational values.{{Cite web |last=House |first=The White |date=2024-04-18 |title=A Proclamation on Education and Sharing Day, USA, 2024 |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/04/18/a-proclamation-on-education-and-sharing-day-usa-2024/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=The White House |language=en-US}} The first proclamation was made by President Jimmy Carter, who acknowledged the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s influence in shaping education.{{Cite web |last=troy |first=Tevi |date=2024-07-09 |title=Presidents and the Rebbe: A continuing relationship from beyond the grave - opinion |url=https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-809612 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}} Since then, each U.S. president has continued to formally recognize this day.{{cite web |date= |title=Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 1.djvu/254 |url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:United_States_Statutes_at_Large_Volume_92_Part_1.djvu/254 |access-date=November 13, 2013 |publisher=Wikisource}} See Education and Sharing Day Excerpts of texts of proclamations.
This day was established to honor the Lubavitcher Rebbe's commitment and contributions to education and moral values, which he believed were essential for a healthy society{{Cite web |title=Education and Sharing Day |url=https://educationandsharingday.com/ |website=educationandsharingday.com}}{{Cite web |last=Fuchs |first=Ilan |date=2021-02-11 |title=The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Theory of Education |url=https://thelehrhaus.com/scholarship/the-lubavitcher-rebbes-theory-of-education/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=The Lehrhaus |language=en-US}}