In his column in Israel Hayom, prominent Israeli media personality Avri Gilad shared his experiences visiting Israeli Chabad Houses in the US and his amazement at the shluchim’s dedication. He also revealed a personal milestone: putting on tefillin for the first time since his bar mitzvah.

By Anash.org reporter

Prominent Israeli broadcaster and columnist Avri Gilad shared his impressions of Chabad Houses serving Israeli communities abroad after returning from a two-week lecture tour across North America – and revealed a personal milestone: he put on tefillin for the first time since his bar mitzvah, inspiring many others present to do the same.

In his column for Israel Hayom, Gilad described his two-week lecture tour among Chabad Houses, as part of an interesting project whose goal is to keep Israelis living abroad connected with each other. “The Chabadniks bring in speakers, guests, and activities so that these Israelis – once called “yordim” – have a way to connect, a place to speak Hebrew, to mingle in an Israeli way, and to eat hummus.”

He praised the shluchim for their dedication, saying: “I don’t know what you personally think about Chabad, or where you last encountered them – at a tefillin stand on the street or at the airport, at a Chabad House overseas or at an event in your neighborhood. But after visiting five Chabad Houses in North America, I have to say that what these people are doing is truly holy work. Every shliach and shlucha who settles in a place that isn’t necessarily ideal for raising a Jewish family, who give up a good job and decent income and dedicate their days and nights entirely to their community – these are remarkable people whose mission is their life’s craft.”

“I saw with my own eyes shluchim and shluchos devoted to one thing only: preserving, by any means possible, the Jewishness and Israeliness of the communities they themselves built. Many of them pay a high personal price for choosing to be the Rebbe’s emissaries, yet they do it willingly, because they know that shlichus is what brings a person the deepest joy.”

He was particularly struck by their commitment to maintaining Jewish and Israeli identity in tiny communities. Despite not agreeing with many of their methods or “political views,” he concluded that “when I look at the vast movement the Lubavitcher Rebbe founded… I have to conclude that Chabad is one of the most important movements in Israel and in the world. The Jewish people owe it a tremendous debt.”

The most personal moment came when he visited the Chabad House in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, directed by Rabbi Yudi Eisenbach.

“Avri came to our Chabad House in New Jersey just a few hours after the birth of our daughter…” Rabbi Yudi Eisenbach shared. “Before the event, I offered him to put on tefillin. He explained to me that he feels very connected to Judaism, but ‘doesn’t connect to religious rituals’ and hadn’t put on tefillin since his bar mitzvah.”

Rabbi Eisenbach shared how true connection with Hashem comes through performing a mitzvah. Moved by this, Gilad agreed to put on tefillin publicly before the event, which in turn prompted all the men in attendance to join him joyfully.

“Thank you to Rabbi Yudi Eisenbach, who invited me and even got me to put on tefillin at last, and to all who hosted me with endless generosity. May 770 blessings rest upon your heads.” Avri wrote in the column.

“It was a very moving evening that went on late into the night. And Baruch Hashem, it turned into a very big Kiddush Hashem,” Eisenbach said.