It was a beautiful Sunday morning in the Pacific Northwest when 40 men showed up for a shachris minyan and brunch at Chabad in Tacoma, Washington.
The occasion: The 40th birthday of Rabbi Zalman Heber.
Coordinated by his wife, Shlucha Miriam Heber, community members came to the 770-shaped center for a minyan and brunch.
Rabbi Heber told the crowd how overwhelmed he was by their participation in the minyan. He expressed his desire to see more having their own pair of teffilin.
On the spur of the moment, he announced a Teffilin Challenge: Whoever commits right then to purchasing a pair of Tefillin, he would put $50 towards it and provide free lessons how to put them on by themselves.
One individual jumped up and said that he would donate another $50 on top of the rabbi’s $50.
Immediately, two individuals took upon themselves the challenge. “The power of one good deed is indeed very contagious,” Rabbi Heber noted.
Zalman and miriam, you have always and continue to inspire me. I know you are not on shlichus in a big Jewish town, yet that never stopped you from giving it all you got (which is a lot) and making sure to touch as many Jews as possible in a real way. You also really get them involved in yidishkait. It is amazing.
Ale vehatzliach!
Emeser mentchen
Great examples for all
A real chossid, shnas hatzlocha. A fan in London