As Yirmiyahu Hanavi foretold, the joyous kol chassan v’kol kallah rang out through the streets of Yerushalayim
Several nights ago, on a Jerusalem rooftop offering a panoramic view of the Holy City, an unusually energetic band played for a small but euphoric group of dancers into the wee hours of the morning. The intimate gathering, organized by American avreich Yaakov Bach, had a unique backstory.
Yaakov runs the Tefillin Project, which helps Yidden around the world receive tefillin at no cost, inspiring them to strengthen their bond with the mitzvah. It also invites sponsors to adopt a “tefillin partner,” bringing more Jews into the daily rhythm of mitzvah observance.
Several months ago, Daveed, an Israeli man who’d started learning b’chavrusa in Kehillah Kedoshah Beis Shlomo, Rav Shmuel Zucker’s shul in Ramat Shlomo, was referred to the Tefillin Project. Daveed happily accepted the tefillin, and began donning them daily. Mitzvah goreres mitzvah, Chazal tell us, and he began a journey toward full shemiras Torah u’mitzvos.
At one point, Daveed realized that although he was legally married to his wife, their wedding had not been conducted fully k’das Moshe v’Yisrael, and they arranged for a rav to perform a proper halachic chuppah and kiddushin. But money was tight, so the couple celebrated with only a small minyan inside their apartment, a pizza pie serving as the seudah.
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