One million Yidden are being asked to make one simple hachlata: no talking during davening.

Keren Tosfos Yom Tov has launched “The Power of a Million,” a worldwide initiative seeking one million commitments to strengthen Kedushas HaTefillah. Each participant becomes eligible for a $1 million prize toward their shul, which can fund renovations, a Sefer Torah, a mikvah, or another major project.

The initiative is one of the broad communal projects supported by philanthropist Yoeli Landau, who has built Keren Tosfos Yom Tov into an international movement promoting silence during davening and Krias HaTorah. The organization has even launched a Yiddish publication teaching some 50,000 children about proper conduct in shul.

Keren Tosfos Yom Tov has previously paired its message with headline-grabbing incentives. In 2023, hundreds of gabbaim and raffle winners traveled on chartered planes to Krakow after participating shuls gathered commitments not to speak during davening.

The famous Mi Shebeirach composed by the Tosfos Yom Tov asks Hashem to bless “all those who guard their mouth and tongue from speaking during davening and Krias HaTorah.” It continues with powerful brachos for protection from distress and illness, and for children who will grow to Torah, chuppah and maasim tovim.

The Rebbe addressed the issue in direct language during a farbrengen on Shabbos Parshas Behaaloscha 5727. “Must you speak idle words specifically during davening?!” the Rebbe asked. “Take five minutes for idle talk from the time you spend reading the newspaper or conducting business, but not during davening.”

At a farbrengen the following year, the Rebbe said, “One must arouse people to be careful not to speak idle words in shul, particularly during davening and Krias HaTorah,” and called for greater care in answering Boruch Hu u’voruch shmo and Amen.

Of all the possible explanations, the Rebbe pointed to improvement in respect for davening. When several tragedies struck Crown Heights during the late 5730s, Rabbi Yitzchok Ushpal, then head of the Chevra Kadisha, asked the Rebbe what needed to change. The Rebbe answered that “the issue that needs correcting is the talking in shul during davening.”

Nearly two decades ago, Merkaz Anash launched the Shul Respect initiative to bring the Rebbeim’s instructions into Chabad shuls. The project published You Shall Revere My Sanctuary, an elegant pamphlet containing quotes from the Rebbeim on the sanctity of a shul and proper conduct during davening. The materials highlighted the Mitteler Rebbe’s call for each minyan to adopt a firm communal hachlata against talking and to appoint someone to ensure that it was upheld.