Segev Raz
Segev RazHebron Tefillin

The Raz-Rosenberg family has a long tradition and a deep connection to the ancestral city of Kiryat Arba - Hebron. For years, the grandparents, Yeshayahu and Esther Rosenberg, have visited the holy city with their extended family to mark their grandchildren's Bar Mitzvah celebrations, including an exciting workshop and purchase of a special tefillin for the "young man of the hour."

Segev, the son of Efrat and Noam Raz, the 47-year-old Border Police officer from the elite Yammam counterterror unit killed during an operation in Jenin earlier in the month, will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah in a number of weeks. Yesterday, on the anniversary of Hebron's liberation from the Jordanian Legion 55 years ago, the family set upon a tour of the holy city and that included the family tradition of choosing and purchasing the first tefillin.

Pinchas Dell, factory director of the Hebron Tefillin Visitor Center, who introduced the young man to his tefillin, said: "Usually we let the young man pick out the holy parchments with his father, symbolizing continuity from father to son."

"I had the opportunity to get to know Noam H"YD over the past years. He never missed a chance to bring his sons to Hebron for the ceremony despite the responsibilities associated with his role in the army and difficulty finding the time to make the trip," continued Del.

"This time Noam was with us in spirit only, but his son continues in his father's tradition, expressing exactly how we feel here in Hebron: Our connection to the forefathers of the Nation and our story continuing despite all the obstacles on the way," he added.

Segev and his friends
Segev and his friendsTefillin Hebron