What’s the secret of thegrand Belz synagogue, the towering white stone edifice that dominates the northern Jerusalem skyline?
“I know of only one Belzer chassid, and his name is Yechezkel Friedman,” the bochur told a friendly man he encountered.
“Well, you’re in luck,” the man said. “Because Yechezkel Friedman actually lives right next door.”
Excited, the bochur came over to meet Rabbi Friedman and share his story. He’d grown up in the Midwest, the son of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother. As a kid, he’d always been fascinated by Judaism, and one day, he came across a clip featuring Friedman giving a tour of the magnificent Belz shul in Jerusalem. The boy was hooked; he watched it about a dozen times, and something about the majesty and holiness of the place pulled at his heart.
“Today I’m a ger learning at Ohr Somayach,” he told Rabbi Friedman. “And it all started with your tour.”
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