30th Yahrtzeit of Rebbe’s Chief-of-Staff

Today, 3 Iyar marks the 30th yahrtzeit of Harav Chaim Mordechai Eizik Chodakov, a master educator and member of the Latvian government, who became a secretary to the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe, ultimately heading and directing the Rebbe’s main mosdos and all Chabad activities.

By Anash.org writer

Born to a family of Chabad lineage in 5662 (1902), Harav Chaim Mordechai Aizik Chadakov moved to Riga at a young age, where his studious and refined personality began to develop.

During the First World War, still in his mid-teens, young Mordechai Aizik began his illustrious chinuch career, running an evening program for young refugees, where he taught Mishna and halacha. When at the age of eighteen he was appointed principal of a local school, his reputation attracted many students, and the successful school quickly developed into a network of frum schools under his leadership.

Harnessing his organizational expertise, oratory skills and leadership qualities for frum education throughout the country, during the 5690s (1930s) he became a member of the Latvian government’s board of education, where he served as a representative of the Agudas Yisroel party.

The Frierdiker Rebbe personally appointed Harav Chadakov to join him when he fled war-torn Europe in 5700 (1940), and already on the ship he instructed him to outline a plan for the forthcoming work for American Yiddishkeit. For the next fifty years, he stood by the Frierdiker Rebbe and by the Rebbe’s side in establishing the infrastructure of Lubavitch outreach and chinuch programs, serving as chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch and head of the Rebbe’s secretariat.

Throughout his years as director of the Lubavitch educational system, Harav Chadakov dispensed tens of thousands of instructions and spelled out principles on the nature and method of education. These instructions cover a wide variety of issues including school policies, suitable curricula for boys and girls, standards for teachers and, most importantly, educating each individual student with values and ideals.

Click here to read educational guidance from Harav Chadakov.