Posted to Mivtzoim on

Mivtzoim on a street corner in the rain and Tefillin on an atheist!!

As part of the new and exciting “Project Chabad” of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, students of the 8th grade are given Mivtzoim routes to go on each Friday after school. This past Friday, 2 Bochurim along with their Mashpia decided to join up with the Friday Mitzvah Tank.

More in the Extended Article!

A Friday Mivtzoim Experience to Remember for a Lifetime!

Mivtzoim on a street corner in the rain and Tefillin on an atheist!!

As part of the new and exciting “Project Chabad” of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, students of the 8th grade are given Mivtzoim routes to go on each Friday after school. This past Friday, 2 Bochurim along with their Mashpia decided to join up with the Friday Mitzvah Tank.

More in the Extended Article!

Upon approaching the Mitzvah Tank they noticed how there were already Bochurim standing at every corner as far as 3 blocks away, inviting passersby into the Tank. The Bochurim therefore decided to just be like everyone else and take a street corner.

Madison Ave. may be a great place to do Mivtzoim but not in the rain and heavy winds, yet, that did not deter the determined young Bochurim. After about an hour and a half, they were finished all the L’chaim Newsletters except for 1. and had already put on Tefillin with 2 men… on the street… in the rain… But that was not enough, the Bochurim were not willing to leave with that 1 L’chaim in hand, they were determined to give out every last one.

It took a bit of time to give out that last one, it seemed like all-of-a-sudden all of the Jews disappeared, and nobody seemed to be Jewish or interested. When a man appeared, and walked right towards us.

“Excuse me are you Jewish?” asked one of the Bochurim.

“Yes, and I’m not only Jewish but a Kohen too!” he declared.

Without thinking twice, one of the Bochurim quickly whipped out his Tefillin and started putting them on with him.

“But” he started to say “I’m an atheist! I don’t believe in G-d!”

By this time the Bochur had already begun putting on the Shel Yad Tefillin. However, he continued to explain how he does not believe in G-d and that the whole concept of G-d made no sence to him.

“We totally agree with you” the Mashpia assured him, “whatever G-d you don’t believe in; we don’t believe in either.” and he continued to explain “You must have been brought up with a different perception of G-d, if only you would understand G-d the way we do; you would definitely believe in him!”

That was enough to convince him. We gave him the last L’chaim and we got 3 Men to put on Tefillin, on the street corner… in the rain!

Now, isn’t that a Mivtzoim experience?

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21 Comments

  • Mordechai

    You should not write that he is an atheist, only that he claimed to be one. "Maaminim Bnei Maaminim."

  • That is exactly the point.

    if you read the article correctly, you’ll notice that 1: he said he was an Athist 2: it was only his perception of G-d.

  • annoyed at the pettyness

    when will people just read an article and enjoy it for what it’s worth, without posting stupid, petty, and pointless "spoilers"?

    get a life people!

  • Yeilchu Mechayil El Cho-yil!

    Mendel, keep it up! and continue giving Nachas to the Rebbe!

    your bunk alef counselor

  • Just asking

    “We totally agree with you” the Mashpia assured him"

    Is the Mashpia the one who took the picture? he’s the main character in this story. we have to get a pic of him.

  • Mordechai

    To That’s exactly the point:
    I was not commenting on the article as a whole, which I thought was great, only on the way it looked "above the fold", i.e. what you see before you click on extended article. Even putting atheist in "quotes" would have done the trick.
    To Annoyed:
    Sorry, but even when something is beautiful, it can always be improved. In the end the little things do matter. Specifically this was a good opportunity to teach the visitors to CHI.com an attitude about fellow Jews. Nothing wrong.

  • michoel

    someone once told me that a Jewish atheist is someone who is so angry at G-D that they refuse to beleive in him.

  • B.T.

    Beautiful story and beautiful lesson to us all.
    In the 60’s, I – being brought up by fully assimilated parents in secular America, a true product of the public school system, declared myself an atheist at the age of 16.

    B’H now, at the age of 58, my husband and I represent three generations of chassidim: us, our children and our grandchildren, kein yirbu.

    Keep up the good work and never give up!
    Generations depend on YOU!!

  • on the left of pix

    Shmulie,
    when you took it out of my camra i thought you were going to put it next to the duch outside our classroom and now THIS.i am glad that i went with you shmulie!
    p.s looking foward to next week!