Midnight Bonfire Pizza Party, A Farbrengen in the Forest, and 10 Israeli Soldiers Commit to Daily Teffilin

Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida and his son Rabbi Peretz Meir Simcha Minkowicz together with two members of their community Taryn and Bob, set out on a solidarity mission to Israel to bring support to the soldiers and citizens of Israel.

“We had scheduled a barbecue with live music for an elite unit in the Army fighting in Gaza,” Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz wrote. “Unfortunately two soldiers were killed so the commander did not feel it was appropriate to celebrate with a barbecue and music. He cancelled the event.”

Rabbi Minkowicz instead suggested a Chasidic Farbrengen in memory of the two soldiers that were killed. The commander liked the idea and suggested a midnight bonfire in the forest with pizza.

“We gathered for a Midnight Farbrengen around a bonfire with pizza,” Minkowicz explained. “The soldiers shared their deep feelings and struggles that the war brings to them, and the Farbrengen is healing as it allows them to get out all the negative emotions. This way they can continue fighting for the Jewish people with out the negative energy sitting inside them.”

World renowned Cantor Dovid Caytak sang a heartfelt ‘Mi Sheberach’ for the soldiers and offered anyone that wants, and would commit to putting on Teffilin every day, that he would present them with a pair of Teffilin.

Initially only three committed, but after Rabbi Minkowicz explained the power of the Teffilin, that by putting on Teffilin the enemy is afraid of you, two more committed as well. As the Farbrengen went on, five additional soldiers joined the commitment to daily Teffilin, and the powerful Farbrengen ended with ten soldiers committing to Daily Teffilin. They were each later presented with a beautiful pair of Teffilin and prayer book.