Wrapping arms for God

Photo: Rabbi Shmuly Hecht

A local Rabbi is encouraging Jewish men to put on tefillin. 

While putting a box on your head and wrapping leather around your arm might strike some as peculiar, Kelowna's Rabbi Schmuly Hecht is looking to bring the ancient ritual out of the synagogue and into the streets.

Hecht is encouraging Jewish men to put on tefillin, a pair of black leather boxes with Hebrew scrolls inside, once a day, as instructed in the Torah.

“The idea is to make the mitzvah of tefillin as accessible as possible,” said Rabbi Hecht. “Throughout the week, I’ll be out and about, wrapping tefillin with Jewish men, on the street, in shops and at the office.”

While the ritual may be out of the ordinary for some, Hecht says it can be a powerful experience.

"A single divine deed has the power to light a soul on fire" said Hecht. "It's incredibly moving to watch, and they inspire me to grow in my personal faith as well.”

Chabad Okanagan offers Jewish education and outreach for people of all ages and backgrounds in the Okanagan.