Friend of Rabbi Zvi Kogan Launches Initiative in UAE

By COLlive reporter

A groundbreaking initiative is taking shape across the United Arab Emirates, ensuring that every Jew—resident or visitor—has easy access to the mitzvah of Tefillin.

Sixty pairs of Tefillin have arrived in the UAE and are being strategically placed across the seven emirates in memory of Rabbi Zvi Kogan HY”D.

The project, spearheaded by Avi Betito, a UAE resident and close friend of Rabbi Zvi, is being overseen by the country’s eight Chabad shluchim, under the leadership of Rabbi Levi Duchman. Each shliach serves a different region or language group, ensuring that Jews across the Emirates can easily access a pair of Tefillin when needed.

For Avi, this initiative is deeply personal. He arrived in the UAE shortly after the Abraham Accords, and on his very first Friday, Rabbi Zvi showed up at his apartment with Tefillin and a l’chaim, sparking a friendship that grew over the years.

With Rabbi Zvi’s encouragement, Avi attended the Kinus Hashluchim for the first time this year—just days after Rabbi Zvi was tragically killed. Inspired by his legacy, Avi immediately set out to launch “Zvi’s Tefillin,” ensuring that Jews throughout the UAE could easily fulfill this mitzvah in his honor.

In addition to the Emirates and below the surface, Rabbi Duchman and his shluchim team are working diligently to establish yidishkait in neighboring Gulf countries as well. With the change of administration in the United States and the understanding that the expansion of agreements between Israel and additional countries is closer than ever, work with residents and business people in the region is intensifying, and as part of this, tefillin kits will also be sent to Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Each Tefillin set is embroidered with an image of Rabbi Zvi in his signature act—helping a fellow Jew put on Tefillin. To make the initiative as accessible as possible, every pair is equipped with an AirTag, allowing Jews to locate the nearest available Tefillin set with ease. The initiative also includes specially marked left-handed Tefillin, dedicated sets for large events, and multilingual instruction booklets, ensuring that every Jew, regardless of background, can participate in this powerful mitzvah.

The Jewish presence in the UAE is growing rapidly, with thousands of visitors, business travelers, and new residents arriving regularly. “Zvi’s Tefillin” ensures that no Jew will ever have to miss an opportunity to connect to this mitzvah.

From grief to action, this project is a testament to Rabbi Zvi’s enduring impact—ensuring that his passion for spreading the mitzvah of Tefillin continues across the Emirates.