While in Israel last month, I was honored to be invited by Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner of Highland Park to help make the minyan at the Kotel on a Sunday morning, when his and Shira’s son Zevi would wear tefillin for the first time during Shacharit (aka his Hachnachat Tefillin). I was one of three families from our shul, Congregation Ahavas Achim, that got to share this milestone occasion with Bryan and Zevi.

While we gathered and prepared for davening, an Israeli family arrived in the same area by the Kotel. In a happy coincidence, they were celebrating the same milestone and helped to complete our minyan. It was a treat to meet the young pre-bar mitzvah boy, Hallel Naaman, and his dad, Gidi, who live in Tapuah in the Shomron, and his grandfathers.

The occasion was a vivid reminder that we are really am echad (one nation) and we demonstrate this best when we gather to celebrate Hashem’s kindnesses to us.

By Harry Glazer