US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon paid a momentous visit to Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami on Tuesday afternoon, just two weeks after taking office, speaking to over 400 of the school’s students and staff members and visiting some of the preschool classrooms. It was her first trip to a Jewish school.
The visit began with a prayer for return of the hostages led by the boys Elementary School principal, Rabbi Moshe Stern, and a welcome by LEC’s Head of School, Rabbi Benzion Korf, who emphasized the importance of teaching morality and ethics rooted in G-d’s guidance. “Education is not just about teaching arithmetic, but about imparting the values that guide how we live together, treating others with respect and understanding that there is a higher power that sees and hears all.”
Secretary McMahon has vowed to empower all parents to choose the appropriate education for their children. “Every student in our country should have access to excellent education, and in order to do that, there has to be freedom of choice,” she said at the event. “Children should not be imprisoned in failing schools.”
She also pointed to the administration’s efforts to crack down on antisemitism on campus, opening investigations into colleges across the country and beginning to defund them. “The president is absolutely and abundantly clear that [antisemitism on campus] will not be tolerated, that no one should have to face fear of being hurt on campus.”
The visit was facilitated by Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, advisor to President Donald Trump, and who, with Dr. Miriam Adelson, hosted the president’s events on combating antisemitism. “Visiting the South’s largest Jewish day school so early in her tenure is a testament to the core values and ideals the president and secretary share,” Kaploun says. “They believe every child should have the opportunity to study and grow in a safe and secure environment. This administration has shown their understanding of the needs of the broader Jewish community and they have made the wellbeing of Jewish students their priority.”
The girls’ high school was represented by a class of thirty students, with an eloquent message delivered by high school junior Necha Touger. She spoke about the profound impact Jewish education has on its students and how they are inspired to reach out and make a difference in the lives of others. Secretary McMahon shared with the girls her personal journey which included many ups and downs and imparted a lesson on perseverance.
During the event, Secretary McMahon recognized and applauded the children’s fundraising efforts, now totalling over $50,000, toward their annual Passover campaign, to give back to the community and provide for the needy during the holiday. The students also received a letter from President Trump in 2019 lauding their initiative.
The visit comes just weeks before the US marks Education and Sharing Day in April, on the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who was a strong advocate for a moral education in the classroom and who pioneered the Moment of Silence in public schools.
During the visit, Rabbi Korf presented Secretary McMahon with the Book of Genesis with traditional commentaries, underscoring the need for an education based on faith and G-dly morals.
“We are grateful for Secretary McMahon’s visit and we wish her much success in restoring the moral compass of our country, the basis of which starts with the Seven Noahide Laws,” says Rabbi Korf. Lubavitch Educational Center is a complete network of boys and girls schools ranging from preschool through high school and mesivta, with over 2,500 students.
Photos by Menachem Williams
