34 LAKEWOOD 22 Cheshvan 5780 // November 20, 2019
LAKEWOOD Chaya Baumwolspiner INTERVIEW
A Di erent Type of Shadchan They were his most precious A Busy Day: Enter the Tefi llin tefi llin to COL. They wanted some- could even be that they came from an possession and now they’re Shadchan! one else to use them in his merit. A out-of-town location too! gone! What if someone’s tefillin That day — the day of the meet- person is now wearing these tefi llin The tefi llin have now been sent to are lost, stolen or destroyed, ing — had been a busy one for Rabbi every day. Wisconsin and a second pair that has Bursztyn and Rabbi Wenger, so they There has also been a constant since been requested by another stu- R”l, and he can’t afford to buy decided to stop o for a snack at Bagel fl ow of requests for tefi llin. A local dent will soon be on its way. another pair? What does he do King in Jackson on their way home. kollel yungerman revealed that his now? While chatting with its owner, Mr. son had lost his pair shortly after his Pristine Condition With a record of stepping in Tzvi (Harrison) Pfe er, who is a per- bar mitzvah, and he couldn’t a ord to Rabbi Burstyn explains that the sonal friend, they mentioned the new replace them. (Father and son were transfer of tefi llin often has to be when help is needed, Lakewood’s project that was on their minds. Mr. sharing the father’s tefi llin at the slightly delayed because all tefi llin Chesed of Lakewood (COL) has Pfe er was quick to take advantage time, with the father going to an early received by COL are checked by an once again done just that. Only of the new initiative. His father, the minyan and the son davening later.) expert sofer and necessary repairs a few months in service, the COL eminent Lakewood lawyer and com- The family of a senior with mem- are made. Retzuos are also changed “Tefillin Shadchan” reports that munity advocate, Mr. Steven Pfe er, ory loss was in a quandary: Their so that the tefi llin that are sent to z”l, had been niftar in June 2018. He father had mislaid his tefi llin and no their new owners are in pristine con- it has made several “matches” had owned an excellent pair of tefi llin one could fi nd them. dition. and that it’s looking forward to that were currently not being used. A man in Manalapan, N.J., admit- The tefi llin that COL sends to its making many more. Moments later, the Tefi llin Shad- ted that he had wanted to don tefi llin recipients have to be kosher l’me- chan had received its fi rst donation. for a long time but he didn’t have the hadrin; nothing else will do. Donated But the day was not over yet. Texts means to buy them. tefi llin that do not meet this crite- We Need Tefi llin! went out and messages were sent. A person whose house burned rion are not matched to a recipient, Rabbi Bursztyn and Rabbi Wenger, Once word got out that COL was col- down in Lakewood, costing him the because every recipient deserves the the two indefatigable founders of lecting “extra” tefi llin, the response loss of all his possessions, received a best. COL, never say “no” to a request for a was prompt and plentiful. By the end “new” pair of tefi llin from COL on the The mitzvah of tefi llin — as in all chessed. So when a New Jersey orga- of the day, they had received nine day they were contacted. mitzvos — should be performed in nization asked them to fi nance the o ers and 14 requests. The Tefi llin And the list goes on! Each request the most perfect way. For many peo- cost of tefi llin for several clients at a Shadchan was o to an encouraging has been met, often immediately, ple, the Tefi llin Shadchan is making meeting in Trenton this past summer, start. with the donors as happy to give their this possible! their answer was in the a rmative. tefi llin as the recipients are to receive It was only after the two men had A Constant Flow them. A Postscript left the meeting that they were able Three months later, the Tefi l- Should an article on the Tefi llin to discuss the practicalities of their lin Shadchan continues to fl ourish. Long-Distance ‘Shidduchim’ Shadchan also make mention of t e fi l - decision. A few calls to leading sofrim Rabbi Bursztyn says that far more News travels fast these days, and lin gemachs? While writing this arti- confi rmed that buying new tefi llin people than he anticipated have there have been some out-of-town cle, I toyed with the idea and decided would be very expensive. How would come forward to o er tefi llin. Some “shidduchim” too. Let’s cite an exam- it should. After all, the two initiatives they raise the funds for such a proj- have inherited an extra pair from rel- ple in Madison, Wisconsin, where could work hand in hand. ect? atives; others have chosen to upgrade the kiruv director, Rabbi Gershon But the only gemach that I was And then it dawned on them: their own tefi llin and now have their Vogel, happened to hear about the able to make contact with informed For many years the COL Sukkah “old” tefi llin to donate. A woman sent Tefi llin Shadchan a couple of months me that their gemach is no longer Exchange has been pairing families a pair of tefi llin, explaining that her ago. Although he had no use for it functional; the fi rst time the gemach with a spare sukkah with families in husband has simply bought an extra then, he put the COL contact number lent out their two sets of tefi llin, nei- need of one. So why not do the same pair and wasn’t using them. On one aside for another time because when ther was returned. with tefi llin? There are probably occasion, COL received six pairs it comes to kiruv … well, you never Remarkably, the gemach owner quite a few people out there who own from a person in Denver! know! bears no resentment against the bor- tefi llin they aren’t using. Why not After a ger tzedek was niftar in Only a few weeks later, he found rowers but feels sympathetic toward channel these tefi llin to people who New York at a young age, leaving out why he had kept their number. A them. She is absolutely sure that they could put them to use? no o spring, his friends o ered his student at the University of Madison are being used and that their non-re- who is becoming a baal teshuvah told turn is simply a refl ection of the Rabbi Vogel that he wanted to start wearer’s inability to acquire tefi llin wearing tefi llin and was willing to of his own. She is probably right. pay part of their cost. Naturally, his Clearly, the borrowers are not mentor called COL on his behalf and among those who have heard of the was very gratifi ed when he heard that Tefi llin Shadchan, but it is hoped that they would be able to send his talmid they soon will. a pair of tefi llin at no cost at all. (Even To donate or to request tefi llin, so, the young man and Rabbi Vogel please call COL at 732-901-0482. both made a generous donation to The Tefi llin Shadchan also welcomes the project.) sponsorship (or partial sponsorship) No one is able to say for sure of new tefi llin for distribution to where these tefi llin came from, but it those who need them.