Thousands of Jewish men and women lay tefillin together in the sixth World Wide Wrap.
Nearly 7,600 people affiliated with Conservative congregations around the world signed up for Sunday’s event, which was sponsored by the movement’s Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.
The international project was conceived, according to the club’s executive director, Rabbi Chuck Simon, to help Jews “understand how important tefillin are and to give them the opportunity to connect with daily prayer.â€
Simon believes that 10 percent to 15 percent more women took part this year. Among the day’s highlights was a live video hookup between six Conservative congregations in the Cincinnati area and the Masorti congregation in Netanya, Israel. Simon said the seven synagogues held morning services together and watched each other lay tefillin.
Hebrew Union College-the Jewish Institute of Religion, the Reform seminary in Cincinnati, hosted the event. Money raised by wrap participants will buy tefillin and mezuzot that the club will bring to Conservative congregations in Argentina later this month.
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