A delegation representing the 140 rabbis and rebbetzins of the 43 branches of Chabad across Texas met today with Governor Greg Abbott as he officially proclaimed Sunday, March 29, 2026, as Education and Sharing Day in the State of Texas.
The occasion brought together Texas leaders and Chabad representatives to highlight the enduring importance of moral and ethical education, a cause long championed by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, whose vision inspired the annual observance.
During the presentation, Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff presented Governor Abbott with a custom siddur in a special presentation box highlighting Modeh Ani, the opening prayer recited each morning. The prayer expresses gratitude for life and renewal at the start of every day, a message with universal resonance.
Prior to the signing, Rabbi Leibel Lazaroff met privately with Governor Abbott together with his parents, Rabbi Yossi and Manya Lazaroff of Chabad at Texas A&M. Rabbi Leibel spoke with the Governor about his experience surviving the Bondi attack during Chanukah and about the heightened gratitude for daily life that emerged from that experience. Also present at the private meeting were Kenny Goldberg and Joy Nathan of the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Committee.
In the proclamation, Governor Abbott wrote that education should guide students toward lives “defined by responsibility, purpose, and integrity.” First Lady Cecilia Abbott also joined in the proclamation’s message, encouraging all Texans to observe Education and Sharing Day with appropriate programs and activities.
Governor Abbott also shared that this year’s proclamation carried special meaning in light of TEFA, as Texas moves toward expanding educational freedom and giving families greater ability to choose schools that reflect their values. That added significance gave this year’s observance timely relevance, placing the message of Education and Sharing Day squarely within the broader conversation about the future of education in Texas.
As Texas marks Education and Sharing Day, the message is clear: education is not only about knowledge, achievement, or opportunity. At its best, education shapes character, instills values, and helps build a society rooted in responsibility, compassion, and purpose. At a time when education is at the center of public life, this day serves as a reminder that the true measure of education is not only what a child knows, but the kind of person that child becomes.
