A special Bar Mitzvah celebration was held, on the eve of Yom Kippur, at Rimonim Prison for fifteen incarcerated teenagers.
The event was initiated by Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, who has been associated with prisoners and the Israel Prison Service for decades.
Rabbi Grossman purchased and financed fifteen pairs of tefillin and prayer shawls for the detained teenagers, and together with the Israel Prison Service, prepared the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, which also included the recitation of Selicot prayers for the High Holidays and a preparatory sermon for Yom Kippur.
The teenagers donned their tefillin for the first time with a blessing. Rabbi Grossman said, "This is a great time of favor in heaven, and all the angels on high stand from above and shed a tear in the face of this sublime occasion."
He thanked the Israel Prison Service, the prison commanders and the rabbis working to ease the suffering of the prisoners and their families, and praised the organization "Shav'at Asirim" for its year-round work for the prisoners.
The ceremony was attended by Israel Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yakobi and other senior commanders in the prison service.
The event was initiated by Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, who has been associated with prisoners and the Israel Prison Service for decades.
Rabbi Grossman purchased and financed fifteen pairs of tefillin and prayer shawls for the detained teenagers, and together with the Israel Prison Service, prepared the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, which also included the recitation of Selicot prayers for the High Holidays and a preparatory sermon for Yom Kippur.
The teenagers donned their tefillin for the first time with a blessing. Rabbi Grossman said, "This is a great time of favor in heaven, and all the angels on high stand from above and shed a tear in the face of this sublime occasion."
He thanked the Israel Prison Service, the prison commanders and the rabbis working to ease the suffering of the prisoners and their families, and praised the organization "Shav'at Asirim" for its year-round work for the prisoners.
The ceremony was attended by Israel Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yakobi and other senior commanders in the prison service.
During the event participants recited the Selichot for the eve of Yom Kippur, and volunteers from "Shav'at Asirim" stayed for an additional hour to cheer the teenagers and dance with them.
During the event participants recited the Selichot for the eve of Yom Kippur, and volunteers from "Shav'at Asirim" stayed for an additional hour to cheer the teenagers and dance with them.