I sometimes lead staff training sessions at schools, governmental agencies, prisons, organizations, and businesses. The purpose is to educate them about Jewish beliefs and practice, so they could be sensitive to the needs of Jewish students, prisoners, employees, or customers.
At one particular training, it was easy for them to grasp and relate to the fundamental tenets of Judaism and the commandments of Shabbat and kosher. What particularly caught their attention was tefillin.
I guess if I were never exposed to the practice of donning black leather boxes on head and arm, it would seem rather bizarre to me too. But it was not the look of tefillin that intrigued these people who had never seen them before. Nor was it the meanin… Read More »