Over 100 men put on Tefillin at the Celebrate Israel Festival in Woodland Hills, LA, where Rabbi Hershy Spritzer of Chabad on Tampa in Reseda, CA and Rabbi Abba Raichik of Chabad of Brookside manned a mivtzoyim booth.
By Anash.org reporter
Over 100 men put on Tefillin at the Celebrate Israel Festival in Woodland Hills, LA, where Rabbi Hershy Spritzer of Chabad on Tampa in Reseda, CA and Rabbi Abba Raichik of Chabad of Brookside manned a mivtzoyim booth.
The annual festival is a highlight for the Jewish community in LA, bringing together over 1600 Jews of all stripes who come to show their pride for Yiddishkeit and Eretz Yisroel. After a 2-year break due to Covid, many were especially enthusiastic to attend this year.
Among the many booths at the event, the Chabad booth stands out. “It’s a favorite booth for people to go to,” said Rabbi Spritzer. “They come to do a mtzvah and they leave inspired.”
The booth was sponsored by Chabad on Tampa, and dedicated liluy nishmas Rabbi Shimon Raichik a”h, who would go to the festival for mivtzoyim every single year. This year, his son Rabbi Abbale Raichik was there together with other volunteers, helping dozens of Jewish men wrap Tefillin and giving out neshek kits to the many women who committed to light Shabbos candles this week.
Many individuals who visited the booth were return customers who make a point to stop by each year. Some related how much the Rebbe continues to inspire them. Others proudly reported the mitzvos that they have started keeping.
Dan Shemtov, a young adult who visited the booth, reminded Rabbi Spritzer about a conversation they had while putting on tefillin once in the past. Dan had shared then that he recently survived a dangerous car accident, and Rabbi Spritzer had encouraged him to commit to putting on Tefillin daily to thank Hashem for being saved. Dan proudly reported that ever since that conversation, he hasn’t missed a day.
All thanks to a ‘chance’ encounter while doing mivtzoyim at this event!
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