Mary Jarada is Credited With 182 Pairs of Tefillin and Counting

By COLlive reporter

Mary Jarada was a typical Syrian Jewish girl growing up in Brooklyn unaware that her life was about to take a dramatic turn. 182 people would soon start putting on Tefilin because of her, including, but not limited to, some famous celebrities.

Mary, 23 and single, was a vibrant and popular young woman, enjoying life in the Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. At a relatively young age she founded her own company, a cash advance business, which she successfully operates today with a growing team of employees.

When October 7 hit, the tragedy and devastation was too much for her young soul, leaving her hurt and a little depressed.

At the time, Mary was in touch with several IDF soldiers when the rabbi from their unit reached out to her. He asked if she might know someone willing to sponsor a pair of Tefillin for a soldier-a Nova Festival survivor—who had resolved to start putting on Tefillin daily but simply couldn’t afford a pair.

Mary immediately decided that she would sponsor the Tefilin herself. “I thought to myself that Hashem doesn’t just want to see one person change,” Mary recalled. “He wants to see a big change from everyone.”

She created a flyer announcing her commitment to sponsor Tefillin for those who couldn’t afford them, and it quickly went viral.

Yossi Farro, a Chabad bochur who is relentless about putting on Tefillin with fellow Jewish men, especially notable ones, says he soon received a message from her offering to sponsor Tefilin for anyone in need. With Mary’s help, Yossi was able to begin offering pairs of Tefilin to many of the prominent individuals he met.

Her newly launched organization, Tefilin on us, has already gifted 182 pairs of Tefilin, totaling nearly $200,000 and they have no plans of stopping.

Several months ago, Mary agreed to provide Tefillin to a religious boy who couldn’t afford it, even though at the time she was only offering them to non-religious Jews. “I felt something pushing me to give it to him” Mary recalls.

A week ago, the grandfather of the boy, deeply touched by her generosity, decided to gift her with a dollar of the Rebbe he’d been holding onto for years.

“When I looked at it”, Mary says, “I was in shock. The date on the dollar was my exact Hebrew birthday!!! It was clear Hashem knew what would happen long before I did and had orchestrated everything“.

Mary has since started a WhatsApp chat where she posts every time she receives a Tefilin request, allowing people to donate any amount they choose towards that Tefilin opportunity. To join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E9ikuF0wW58BVKY35GzB9K

To request assistance with a pair of Tefilin, message Mary at +1 (347) 307-7738 or DM her at https://x.com/maryjrada?s=21

It is worth noting a fascinating letter from the Rebbe to the graduating girls of Beis Rivka of Montreal: “And although they are exempt from the Mitzvah of Tefillin, nonetheless, they can and therefore should take part in these Mivtzoim by helping in various ways the men who are obligated.”

“This is truly the greatest joy I’ve ever brought to my life,” Mary says.