A $1.4 Million Bar Mitzvah in California

By Rabbi Choni Marozov for COLlive

Over the past 22 years as Shluchim in Valencia, California, my wife Frumi and I have had the privilege of arranging and attending many Bar and Bas Mitzvahs. It’s one of the most joyous events, watching our Hebrew School children put on Tefillin for the first time, and read from the Torah.

While some decide to have a small, intimate ceremony in Shul after the Aliyah, others choose a lavish affair. We always try to remind the family to focus less on the “Bar” and more on the “Mitzvah.”

After 22 years on Shlichus, this Chanukah, we opened escrow on a property that will, Be’ezras  Hashem,  be the future home for Chabad of SCV. It has beautiful grounds for a preschool, day camp, shul, and Chabad House activities.

The property is owned by 2 sisters, and naturally, we asked them if they are Jewish. Their answer was no.

A few weeks ago, as  I was driving past the property, I saw a few people walking around inside. I stopped and asked who they were. Turns out, it was one of the owners along with her husband, who introduced himself as Gabriel.

When I asked if he is Jewish, he replied: “Of course, I was raised on Nostrand Ave in Brooklyn.”

Did you have a Bar Mitzvah? Did you ever put on Tefillin? He explained that as a child he didn’t want a Bar Mitzvah, and as a teen he rebelled and left Judaism behind.

Then an idea struck me. Let’s have a Bar Mitzvah on the day we close escrow! It may be 60 years late, but better late than never, and what a way to dedicate the Rebbe’s property! Gabriel was ecstatic, and a date was set.

So this Friday, Zayin Adar, as we are handed the keys to our new Chabad House, a 73-year-old Jew will put on his very own Tefillin for the first time in his life.

Often, we help a Yid with tefillin on the street, costing us a few minutes of our time. Sometimes we even purchase Tefillin for a fellow Jew, costing a few hundred dollars.  Gabriel’s Bar Mitzvah comes at a 1.4 Million price tag 🙂

Chabad of SCV is running a matching campaign in order to raise funds to purchase and renovate the property.

Please consider partnering in this holy task at www.chabadscv.com/building

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