By COLlive reporter
An encounter on a flight to the Bahamas which led to a Bar Mitzvah one year ago has now had a life-long effect on one of the participants.
Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld, member of the Vaad Hakashrus of OK Kosher and Rov of Bais Eliezer Yitzchok in Crown Heights, and pilot Jason Rubenstein met a year ago on a United Airlines flight from New York to the Bahamas.
Rubinstein, a commercial pilot, met Rabbi Weinfeld on the flight last November, after he offered him to put on Tefillin for the first time, and they celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at the age of 44 right there in the cockpit. The moving encounter was reported on COLlive.com and was widely shared by many.
Last week, nearly one year later, Rabbi Weinfeld and Rubinstein teamed up to create an inspiring video message for Yud Tes Kislev and the upcoming Chanukah holiday.
After filming the video, Rabbi Weinfeld asked Rubinstein if he has his own pair of Tefillin.
Rubinstein replied that he did not.
Rabbi Weinfeld quickly asked if he would send him a pair of Tefillin, would Rubenstein agree to put them on daily? Rubinstein gladly agreed.
So Rabbi Weinfeld immediately arranged for the purchase of a set of Tefillin and a custom embroidered Talis bag which he would present as a gift to Rubinstein.
On Tuesday, Rabbi Weinfeld flew to Atlanta, Georgia, where Rubinstein lives, to present him with the special gift. The two met up at the Chabad Center of Atlanta, together with Head Shliach Rabbi Yossi New and Rabbi Shmaya Friedman, Chabad’s program director.
An emotional Rubinstein thanked Rabbi Weinfeld and his wife for coordinating “the most precious gift I have ever received,” and said he would try to put the Tefillin on daily.
Rubinstein said, “My father and his father – my grandfather – would be so proud of me today. My grandfather used to blow the Shofar at his Synagogue, and then when he couldn’t anymore, I blew the Shofar during the High Holidays,” he said.
“And this is the first time that I am owning my own set of Tefillin,” he said.
The moment was life-changing not only for Jason Rubinstein but for the Rabbis in attendance as well.
“We witnessed the miracle of Shemen Zayis Zoch, the pure olive oil of the Yiddishe Neshama,” said Rabbi Yossi New. “It was truly a moving experience, and you can see the way it transformed Jason, and truly, it transformed us also.”
“This is what we do every day in our travels in our line of work at the OK Kosher,” said Rabbi Weinfeld. “Every Lubavitcher chossid can realize what power we have, that we are all Shluchim of the Rebbe. Just a kind word or the offer of a Mitzvah can lead to changing someone’s life,” he said.
VIDEO:
Rabbi Weinfeld, great Chassid!
Rabbi New, great Chassid!
Rabbi Friedman, great Chassid!
Keep making Chassidim proud…