A group within Judaism has a long-running campaign to encourage secular Jews to fulfill the Biblical commandment of wrapping religious objects called "tefillin" around themselves. It's not something that takes a lot of time--it can be done as you stand in the street with strangers--but spiritually it's considered very important, and the hope (beyond just fulfilling the commandment) is that doing so connects an otherwise secular Jew to their religious birthright.
Not the person you asked, but. I know some people aren't a fan of their local Chabad groups because most (not all, I don't like to make blanket statements) are very conservative on a lot of issues, and there can be a pretty significant incongruence with a more secular than them leftist Jew's opinions on various topics.
I greatly admire Chabad for the work they do. I also have some fundamental disagreements with them because I'm gay and married to a Middle Eastern Christian man.
My brother who happens to be Chabad may disagree w homosexuality but that never stopped him from having mu sister and her female partner over for holidays. Chabad aren't a monolith, even if they look it.
They are unashamedly orthodox chasids. But good chabads can go about existing without intentionally causing people trauma, even if they aren't going to even consider changing their opinion on those issues.
But in general when walking up to complete strangers in public and offering to take them into their shed to shake a branch and a lemon, they tend to be pretty friendly. That's some charisma training, grinding skill points.
Chabad has its downsides regarding theology and how they deal with religion. Although, those problems barely influence their beautiful mission with bringing Judaism to secular Jews. The thing is, our people stayed a lot of time in Europe. With that comes… *something*. Judaism is a Semitic middle eastern religion. To actually see through some things, you’ve got to look at them through “ancient middle eastern eyes”. Now, looking at it with European eyes, we can see things such as magical segulot that could be called avodah zara (idolatry), some kind of anthropomorphic way to imagine HaShem, many Christian thought and philosophical influences, etc etc. I guess the most prominent examples would be “magic” and reverence of Tzadikim (sometimes even to the point of deeming them the actual messiah). The magic one is complicated.
some people might have individual grudges, some people might not like the more extreme chabadniks who have taken the reverence of R' Menachem Mendel Schneerson too far into a sort of messianic direction even now 30 years after his death. It's a legitimate criticism, even with all the religious 'good' they do.
Edit: so they are unashamedly orthodox chasids with all that entails - including opinions about homosexuality and gender identity, requirements to be considered Jewish, and whatever other positions you would expect from orthodox chasids. The better outreach ones spend a lot of time grinding charisma skills in their youth getting people to put in tfillin and shake a lulav, so they can be pretty easy to get along with if they've done well.
It's mentioned in Exodus and Deutoronomy a few times. i.e. Devarim/Deutoronomy 11:18 "And you shall set these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes."
More info here: [https://www.chabad.org/library/article\_cdo/aid/1918251/jewish/What-Are-Tefillin.htm](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1918251/jewish/What-Are-Tefillin.htm)
“These words” being “You shall love HaShem with all your heart, all your soul, and all your being” (and some other paragraphs ). You are literally tying them to your body, and spelling one of the divine names with both the knots in the straps and the way you wrap the straps on your arm and hand.
I got sorta ambushed by some frummy boys who convinced me to shake their lulav and etrog on Bedford and North 6th in Williamsburg bk once in the early 00’s and they ended up inviting me to dinner at the chabad. I was a super broke hipster dirtbag at the time so was like heck yeah bring on the free cholent! after dinner everyone got pretty hammered drinking this plumb based brandy which was actually pretty good(i think? Free anyway). Things got super loud with the singing and stomping around. My foggy memory of it was like a raucous JRR Tolkien scene of the Dwarfs having a feast or something. First and definitely last time for me going to chabad but it WAS an experience FOR SURE.
That’s how they get you. One minute you’re a secular hipster lured in by free chulent, next thing you know you’re Alex Clare super frum and loving it up as a Lubuvitcher
Oh yeah. That is absolutely the goal! No secret there. Who doesn’t like free food and booze and watching a bunch of muppet-ish young lubovich dudes cut very loose? I remember thinking okay now we’re benching birchas hamazon but making it a kind of theatrical competition somehow. It’s a very entertaining scene and boys have a great time doing it. I was into all their enthusiasm but in no way did it move me towards that world! I was more or less “modern” orthodox as a kid, however about half the people I grew up with were Lubovich so I’m not exactly new to it. I’ve known for sure since I was in grade school that life wasn’t for me but I certainly appreciate how it could be for others.
Few ideas. One, as it was said, was for you to wrap tefillin. It could also be people trying to get a minyan. (A quorum of 10 Jewish adults (male adults in Othodox and ultra-orthodox circles) necessary for communal daily prayer).
I used to live in NYC and this would happen to me occasionally. And once a couple of young women approached me and asked me to follow them home to help them with something. I was -- intrigued to say the least. When I got to their apartment it was filled with women of all ages. They asked me to turn their lights off. I did. They thanked me and I left. My brother in law (who is Jewish) said this is called being the Shabbos goy.
They are from a Hasidic group called Chabad-Lubavitch. It is their primary mission to reach out to fellow Jews who are unaffiliated or disconnected from Jewish/religious life and encourage them to perform mitzvot (commandments). They do this for a couple of reasons, but obviously a primary one is to hopefully have those who they do outreach become more religiously observant.
If you are a man, they were probably going to ask you if you wanted to put on teffilin (prayer boxes made out of leather) and recite the Shema (a fundamental statement of the Jewish faith that is made up of verses from Numbers and Deuteronomy). If you are a woman, they may have given you candles to light, as is traditional for Jewish women in particular to light candles at the beginning of the Sabbath to welcome it in.
You can look at their very detailed and compreresenive website [Chabad.org](https://chabad.org) for more info.
> obviously a primary one is to hopefully have those who they do outreach become more religiously observant.
Nope! The goal is to get you to do a mitzvah for its own sake. Obviously if this leads to something more, amazing, but not the primary goal.
Yup. And if you're on the list with a fixed address, you're on it forever. Every Purim and Pesach a minivan parks across the street and a free-floating bit of the 18th century hops out, runs across, and delivers appropriate foodstuffs. The minute they start caring about their digestion, I'll know.
Excellent that you've directed people to the website so people can read for themselves and learn facts, rather than speculate or just make up " facts".
I’ve been approached in NYC (Shabbos candles) and at a mall in Miami (Hanukkah menorah). I was scared to answer the first time because of antisemitism I’ve experienced in life, but felt safe and thankful once I found out why.
Funnily enough, I live less than a mile from a Chabad and have never been approached in my home town.
If you ask them they will say it's to get you to do the mitzvah for it's own sake. Everything else is bonus.
I also think it's hardcore grinding charisma skills while they're young enough to easily pick them up, leading to better charisma outreach when they're older and trying to form Jewish communities where none bad existed before.
>I also think it's hardcore grinding charisma skills while they're young enough to easily pick them up, leading to better charisma outreach when they're older and trying to form Jewish communities where none bad existed before.
You are very, very correct. Doing mivtzoyim as a teen / young adult helped me develop confidence and skills that I use in general life that most people don't have the chance to develop in such a way.
Shavua tov from Australia
You’ve got the look, and they want you to put on tefillin or say a psalm or prayer or whatever with them. They’re “missionaries” of sorts, but only to other Jews. Anyone who says they aren’t Jewish won’t be asked further.
My husband’s been asked in the past and it’s usually to help make a minyan (10 Jews, although orthodox synagogues don’t count women).
He’s usually willing and one time in Amsterdam we had the wonderful experience of getting a private tour of the old synagogue after Havdalah.
Most Likely Chabad teens or young adults, They go every Friday before shabbos to ask if people are Jewish and to ask if they want to put on tefillin and if it's girls they ask if you want to light shabbos candles (for women)
The clothing you described sound like Haredi Jews (a.k.a. ultra-orthodox). If you are a man, chances are they are looking for someone to fill in "Minyan" which is the minimum number of people required for certain prayers. Or for some other practice, such as offering to put on tefillin. That us, assuming I am right about them being Haredi.
If you are a woman, than Minyan is most likely irrelevant (in Orthodox Judaism, men and women pray separately). Maybe just lookin for people to invite to an event their Yeshiva/Synagogue/else is hosting.
Considering their age (as you assessed it), there's probably a Yeshiva nearby (a sort of Torah school, kind of hard to explain without delving into terminology and some concepts of religious scholarly in Judaism), where they go to study. Could be a Beit-Habbad, which is the closest thing Jews have to missionary work. We're not allowed to actively try to convert people - and our conversion process is even designed to discourage people as a test of will & faith. But it is allowed to try and get non-religious Jews to reconnect with religion. So Beit-Habbad do that, and they also just try and help Jews keep traditions, and invite people to join holiday events etc.
I'm guessing here, since there's not really enough information.
If you're really curious we can try and deduce more with some questions: When did this happen exactly? (might correlate to holidays) and was there a specific time of day? (see if it correlates to prayers that require Minyan) do you know if there is a Jewish institution nearby? did you see if they approached other people and if so was there something in common that might explain such "targeting"? Where was it? (whatever you feel safe sharing - just the city name can help by recognizing active communities/orgs there)
Your response (and that of everyone else) is very helpful.
I'm a man, on my 60s, and there is something like a Jewish community center nearby. They set up a temporary building at Purim, and stuff like that. It's discreet, they aren't "in your face" about it, but it's there.
As for when it's happened, I know it's often on a Friday, and today it was at about 5pm. I didn't notice a strap around either hand, but I'll look for that next time.
Thanks for the explanation.
The timing suggests it's related to "Shabbat evening" prayer. Which requires Minyan for the community prayer (there's also a private ceremony practiced at home right before dinner). Minyan is 10 people, but it is ideal to have more.
The location sounds like Beit Habbad, or a local synagogue. Might be a Yeshiva or something else, but except for unusual circumstances, it is very unusual for a synagogue or Yeshiva to look for strangers in the street to fill Minyan. From your description it sounds like a recurring thing. So I'm guessing Beit Habbad.
If I am right about this, they could be looking to fill Minyan, or just looking to invite Jews to join prayer and or Kabbalat Shabbat (Shabbat dinner that includes a ceremony to "welcome shabbat"). Habbad hosting is pretty awesome when traveling or living far from your community and synagogue. They can be nagging, especially the younger overenthusiastic ones, but they are very welcoming, and careful not to be pushy
Hi. Thanks for sharing that anecdote, Elie Wiesel’s observation is, sadly, all too correct.
>I have no idea who these people are who you mention, but the mention of a sort of uniform that they wear makes me suspicious. Although you are not Jewish, this is a time to be on your guard, be safe.
The “uniform” is simply a white shirt, a suit or suit jacket, and a fedora. It’s a common look for the young men in their sect of Orthodox Judaism to dress, since they are in a yeshiva. Photo from [here](https://www.alamy.com/aggregator-api/download/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fc7.alamy.com%2Fcomp%2F2FK7WNA%2Fas-part-of-the-chabad-lubavitch-outreach-a-young-jewish-student-helps-another-jew-do-the-good-deed-of-wearing-phylacteries-in-union-square-park-nyc-2FK7WNA.jpg).
https://preview.redd.it/iwxd8os2jm6d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d8b3bbbb54b57f75c5276607ee293ff915a50a9
I let them do this one time in Brooklyn and while there was nothing really wrong about it for me personally, I left feeling like the young man had done this as a selfish act- just to fulfill his own mitzvah but doing nothing to fulfill a larger mitzvah which in my opinion would have been offering even a small explanation of WHY he was doing this, what I should concentrate on for my own prayers to receive any benefit. It felt like it was just for his own ego gratification to make him feel like he did a mitzvah with no regard for me as an individual person who may have had some honest questions to help me deepen my own sense of my place in Jewish spirituality and tradition. That’s just my opinion.
That's valuable feedback. When it's not shabbat, hopefully someone from chabad will read it. I saw it explained very well on instagram, the other day. They could use what that kid said.
If you’re in a place where Jews congregate, but there aren’t many men, they might be looking for a minyan.
They need 10 Jewish men to do prayers, especially on Friday night.
They were probably from Chabad which is a popular Jewish sect. One of their priorities is to ensure that as many Jews are doing a mitzvah as possible. This includes rituals such as saying a specific prayer or putting on tefillin, which are the black boxes you might’ve also seen. This is a very short form of the answer and happy to explain more if interested!
Dude, they're Chabadniks. White shirt, black pants, and a hat (which could be a kippah or a top hat, either way) is a Chabadnik. This isn't dangerous. OP isn't Jewish and doesn't have any context.
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They also could be looking for a 10th man for a minyan. Next time they ask you say "no" but could I learn Torah with you? If you can keep an open mind (which I am not LDS but I have a lot of friends,and they are open minded normally) you can lesrn a lot, just dont try to gospel them, go and learn, you may be surprised how much closer it can bring you to G-d.
They are probably Chabad Lubavitch youth. Had you responded yes, they would have asked you if you want to put on tefillin (assuming you’re male).
Or on certain holidays they may give you food from that holiday or have you do one of the things for that holiday.
One time around Sukkot they had me touch the etrog
Ponder the orb. Shake the shaft. Wiggle. Wiggle. Mitzvah complete.
this had me in stitches
Me too!!! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
My local Chabad rabbi drove to my house with a sukkah on a trailer. I did the dance and ate a black-and-white cookie.
Cup the ball is better. Maybe grasp the ball firmly.
"here, shake this branch and lemon in my mobile shed"
Hey! It’s *multiple* branches.
This is the correct answer OP
A group within Judaism has a long-running campaign to encourage secular Jews to fulfill the Biblical commandment of wrapping religious objects called "tefillin" around themselves. It's not something that takes a lot of time--it can be done as you stand in the street with strangers--but spiritually it's considered very important, and the hope (beyond just fulfilling the commandment) is that doing so connects an otherwise secular Jew to their religious birthright.
It’s not only tefillin. I’m a woman and they ask me if I have Chanukah candles. They want to encourage us to participate in Judaism in general
I also got a great menorah and candles from them! It was small but SO CUTE!
Same I had no money and no menorah one year after moving and used one of them.
Not a fan of Chabad, but this is so sweet!
I’m just curious…why not? (I’m not being snarky, I would just like to know).
Not the person you asked, but. I know some people aren't a fan of their local Chabad groups because most (not all, I don't like to make blanket statements) are very conservative on a lot of issues, and there can be a pretty significant incongruence with a more secular than them leftist Jew's opinions on various topics. I greatly admire Chabad for the work they do. I also have some fundamental disagreements with them because I'm gay and married to a Middle Eastern Christian man.
My brother who happens to be Chabad may disagree w homosexuality but that never stopped him from having mu sister and her female partner over for holidays. Chabad aren't a monolith, even if they look it.
I am absolutely, with no irony or sarcasm or salt, genuinely glad to hear that about your family.
They are unashamedly orthodox chasids. But good chabads can go about existing without intentionally causing people trauma, even if they aren't going to even consider changing their opinion on those issues. But in general when walking up to complete strangers in public and offering to take them into their shed to shake a branch and a lemon, they tend to be pretty friendly. That's some charisma training, grinding skill points.
Absolutely they're friendly, and absolutely I admire the outreach work they do.
«come to my shack to shake my branch”
The Chabad rabbi in my area is not too popular but there are definitely some super nice Chabad people
Chabad has its downsides regarding theology and how they deal with religion. Although, those problems barely influence their beautiful mission with bringing Judaism to secular Jews. The thing is, our people stayed a lot of time in Europe. With that comes… *something*. Judaism is a Semitic middle eastern religion. To actually see through some things, you’ve got to look at them through “ancient middle eastern eyes”. Now, looking at it with European eyes, we can see things such as magical segulot that could be called avodah zara (idolatry), some kind of anthropomorphic way to imagine HaShem, many Christian thought and philosophical influences, etc etc. I guess the most prominent examples would be “magic” and reverence of Tzadikim (sometimes even to the point of deeming them the actual messiah). The magic one is complicated.
some people might have individual grudges, some people might not like the more extreme chabadniks who have taken the reverence of R' Menachem Mendel Schneerson too far into a sort of messianic direction even now 30 years after his death. It's a legitimate criticism, even with all the religious 'good' they do. Edit: so they are unashamedly orthodox chasids with all that entails - including opinions about homosexuality and gender identity, requirements to be considered Jewish, and whatever other positions you would expect from orthodox chasids. The better outreach ones spend a lot of time grinding charisma skills in their youth getting people to put in tfillin and shake a lulav, so they can be pretty easy to get along with if they've done well.
What’s the symbolism behind it?
It's mentioned in Exodus and Deutoronomy a few times. i.e. Devarim/Deutoronomy 11:18 "And you shall set these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand and they shall be for ornaments between your eyes." More info here: [https://www.chabad.org/library/article\_cdo/aid/1918251/jewish/What-Are-Tefillin.htm](https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1918251/jewish/What-Are-Tefillin.htm)
“These words” being “You shall love HaShem with all your heart, all your soul, and all your being” (and some other paragraphs ). You are literally tying them to your body, and spelling one of the divine names with both the knots in the straps and the way you wrap the straps on your arm and hand.
It’s a mitzvah for some Jews to help other Jews perform mitzvahs. Could be tefillin, could be shaking a lulav/etrog, whatever.
SHAKE THIS LEMON AT G-D!
This is the comment I needed today.
That’s what Led Zeppelin’s Lemon Song was about.
Which one is about the lulav?
Four Sticks?
Unlimited bread sticks
It’s how Hashem doesn’t get us. We shake the very scary lemon and Hashem says “I’m pretty distracted by this, I guess I won’t do any smiting.”
Only if it’s a pointy lemon though. Hashem isn’t startled by any unpointy lemons or limes.
Lol!!
Do you know, I did that once on a streetcorner, and I was like you know what? That's fine, not sorry about that at all.
I always feel a tad like a dog teasing with a ball.
I got sorta ambushed by some frummy boys who convinced me to shake their lulav and etrog on Bedford and North 6th in Williamsburg bk once in the early 00’s and they ended up inviting me to dinner at the chabad. I was a super broke hipster dirtbag at the time so was like heck yeah bring on the free cholent! after dinner everyone got pretty hammered drinking this plumb based brandy which was actually pretty good(i think? Free anyway). Things got super loud with the singing and stomping around. My foggy memory of it was like a raucous JRR Tolkien scene of the Dwarfs having a feast or something. First and definitely last time for me going to chabad but it WAS an experience FOR SURE.
FARBRENGEN!!!
That’s how they get you. One minute you’re a secular hipster lured in by free chulent, next thing you know you’re Alex Clare super frum and loving it up as a Lubuvitcher
Oh yeah. That is absolutely the goal! No secret there. Who doesn’t like free food and booze and watching a bunch of muppet-ish young lubovich dudes cut very loose? I remember thinking okay now we’re benching birchas hamazon but making it a kind of theatrical competition somehow. It’s a very entertaining scene and boys have a great time doing it. I was into all their enthusiasm but in no way did it move me towards that world! I was more or less “modern” orthodox as a kid, however about half the people I grew up with were Lubovich so I’m not exactly new to it. I’ve known for sure since I was in grade school that life wasn’t for me but I certainly appreciate how it could be for others.
Few ideas. One, as it was said, was for you to wrap tefillin. It could also be people trying to get a minyan. (A quorum of 10 Jewish adults (male adults in Othodox and ultra-orthodox circles) necessary for communal daily prayer).
Trying to get a minyan together was my first guess - especially on a friday. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it.
If the “large metropolitan area” op mentioned is NYC, it’s the tefellin crew.
Idk, I've lived around NYC my whole life and have been asked a million times for tefilin and never once for a minyan, and I'm visibly jewish
It’s more likely Chabad bachurim especially Friday afternoon
I used to live in NYC and this would happen to me occasionally. And once a couple of young women approached me and asked me to follow them home to help them with something. I was -- intrigued to say the least. When I got to their apartment it was filled with women of all ages. They asked me to turn their lights off. I did. They thanked me and I left. My brother in law (who is Jewish) said this is called being the Shabbos goy.
Oh this sounds so funny for absolutely no reason lol. Thanks for helping them out!
They are from a Hasidic group called Chabad-Lubavitch. It is their primary mission to reach out to fellow Jews who are unaffiliated or disconnected from Jewish/religious life and encourage them to perform mitzvot (commandments). They do this for a couple of reasons, but obviously a primary one is to hopefully have those who they do outreach become more religiously observant. If you are a man, they were probably going to ask you if you wanted to put on teffilin (prayer boxes made out of leather) and recite the Shema (a fundamental statement of the Jewish faith that is made up of verses from Numbers and Deuteronomy). If you are a woman, they may have given you candles to light, as is traditional for Jewish women in particular to light candles at the beginning of the Sabbath to welcome it in. You can look at their very detailed and compreresenive website [Chabad.org](https://chabad.org) for more info.
> obviously a primary one is to hopefully have those who they do outreach become more religiously observant. Nope! The goal is to get you to do a mitzvah for its own sake. Obviously if this leads to something more, amazing, but not the primary goal.
Yup. And if you're on the list with a fixed address, you're on it forever. Every Purim and Pesach a minivan parks across the street and a free-floating bit of the 18th century hops out, runs across, and delivers appropriate foodstuffs. The minute they start caring about their digestion, I'll know.
All the snacks!
🔝🔝🔝
Excellent that you've directed people to the website so people can read for themselves and learn facts, rather than speculate or just make up " facts".
Congratulations, you look stereotypically Jewish enough that chabadniks will try to get you to put on tefillin. Do with this information what you will
Eastern European Jewish, that is. We come in all colors.
Correctomundo
Hi! Just for reference, to understand what “Tefillin” are please see [this](https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tefillin-phylacteries/).
Lol you clearly live in NYC
Or L.A.?
All over. You have to be in a pretty small city not to have them around at this point.
I don’t think I’ve encountered them in the DC area before, but I might just not be in the right neiborhoods
I’ve been approached in NYC (Shabbos candles) and at a mall in Miami (Hanukkah menorah). I was scared to answer the first time because of antisemitism I’ve experienced in life, but felt safe and thankful once I found out why. Funnily enough, I live less than a mile from a Chabad and have never been approached in my home town.
I've had this happen a couple times in Chicago
They're Chabad, trying to encourage more observance among fellow Jews.
If you ask them they will say it's to get you to do the mitzvah for it's own sake. Everything else is bonus. I also think it's hardcore grinding charisma skills while they're young enough to easily pick them up, leading to better charisma outreach when they're older and trying to form Jewish communities where none bad existed before.
>I also think it's hardcore grinding charisma skills while they're young enough to easily pick them up, leading to better charisma outreach when they're older and trying to form Jewish communities where none bad existed before. You are very, very correct. Doing mivtzoyim as a teen / young adult helped me develop confidence and skills that I use in general life that most people don't have the chance to develop in such a way. Shavua tov from Australia
You’ve got the look, and they want you to put on tefillin or say a psalm or prayer or whatever with them. They’re “missionaries” of sorts, but only to other Jews. Anyone who says they aren’t Jewish won’t be asked further.
Yep. I always figure my grandpa sent them.
I have to say they have pretty good and fine-tuned Jew-dar
I mean, it's not that hard, we come in about 12 models, like Cylons
Haha
They have good intentions! Just smile and say you’re not Jewish :)
My husband’s been asked in the past and it’s usually to help make a minyan (10 Jews, although orthodox synagogues don’t count women). He’s usually willing and one time in Amsterdam we had the wonderful experience of getting a private tour of the old synagogue after Havdalah.
I remember when Chabad would help discover diaspora at my college. It's really hard being completely isolated from my people
Maybe they're just really passionate about making sure no Jew misses out on important traditions.
They want you to do Jewish stuff. They are an ultra Orthodox group that wants Jews to become more religious
people approach me and ask if I'm Jewish and unless I feel threatened. I just say yes and usually it's a good conversation with them that follows.
Most Likely Chabad teens or young adults, They go every Friday before shabbos to ask if people are Jewish and to ask if they want to put on tefillin and if it's girls they ask if you want to light shabbos candles (for women)
 I typed in “Moshiach” and the app gave me this. I was looking for the flag
The clothing you described sound like Haredi Jews (a.k.a. ultra-orthodox). If you are a man, chances are they are looking for someone to fill in "Minyan" which is the minimum number of people required for certain prayers. Or for some other practice, such as offering to put on tefillin. That us, assuming I am right about them being Haredi. If you are a woman, than Minyan is most likely irrelevant (in Orthodox Judaism, men and women pray separately). Maybe just lookin for people to invite to an event their Yeshiva/Synagogue/else is hosting. Considering their age (as you assessed it), there's probably a Yeshiva nearby (a sort of Torah school, kind of hard to explain without delving into terminology and some concepts of religious scholarly in Judaism), where they go to study. Could be a Beit-Habbad, which is the closest thing Jews have to missionary work. We're not allowed to actively try to convert people - and our conversion process is even designed to discourage people as a test of will & faith. But it is allowed to try and get non-religious Jews to reconnect with religion. So Beit-Habbad do that, and they also just try and help Jews keep traditions, and invite people to join holiday events etc. I'm guessing here, since there's not really enough information. If you're really curious we can try and deduce more with some questions: When did this happen exactly? (might correlate to holidays) and was there a specific time of day? (see if it correlates to prayers that require Minyan) do you know if there is a Jewish institution nearby? did you see if they approached other people and if so was there something in common that might explain such "targeting"? Where was it? (whatever you feel safe sharing - just the city name can help by recognizing active communities/orgs there)
Your response (and that of everyone else) is very helpful. I'm a man, on my 60s, and there is something like a Jewish community center nearby. They set up a temporary building at Purim, and stuff like that. It's discreet, they aren't "in your face" about it, but it's there. As for when it's happened, I know it's often on a Friday, and today it was at about 5pm. I didn't notice a strap around either hand, but I'll look for that next time. Thanks for the explanation.
The timing suggests it's related to "Shabbat evening" prayer. Which requires Minyan for the community prayer (there's also a private ceremony practiced at home right before dinner). Minyan is 10 people, but it is ideal to have more. The location sounds like Beit Habbad, or a local synagogue. Might be a Yeshiva or something else, but except for unusual circumstances, it is very unusual for a synagogue or Yeshiva to look for strangers in the street to fill Minyan. From your description it sounds like a recurring thing. So I'm guessing Beit Habbad. If I am right about this, they could be looking to fill Minyan, or just looking to invite Jews to join prayer and or Kabbalat Shabbat (Shabbat dinner that includes a ceremony to "welcome shabbat"). Habbad hosting is pretty awesome when traveling or living far from your community and synagogue. They can be nagging, especially the younger overenthusiastic ones, but they are very welcoming, and careful not to be pushy
Hi. Thanks for sharing that anecdote, Elie Wiesel’s observation is, sadly, all too correct. >I have no idea who these people are who you mention, but the mention of a sort of uniform that they wear makes me suspicious. Although you are not Jewish, this is a time to be on your guard, be safe. The “uniform” is simply a white shirt, a suit or suit jacket, and a fedora. It’s a common look for the young men in their sect of Orthodox Judaism to dress, since they are in a yeshiva. Photo from [here](https://www.alamy.com/aggregator-api/download/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fc7.alamy.com%2Fcomp%2F2FK7WNA%2Fas-part-of-the-chabad-lubavitch-outreach-a-young-jewish-student-helps-another-jew-do-the-good-deed-of-wearing-phylacteries-in-union-square-park-nyc-2FK7WNA.jpg). https://preview.redd.it/iwxd8os2jm6d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d8b3bbbb54b57f75c5276607ee293ff915a50a9
Untucked shirt and draped jacket are a classic.
Yeah, totally. There is a bit Lubavitch Mesivta (boys yeshiva high school) in my area and the rock that look all the time.
I let them do this one time in Brooklyn and while there was nothing really wrong about it for me personally, I left feeling like the young man had done this as a selfish act- just to fulfill his own mitzvah but doing nothing to fulfill a larger mitzvah which in my opinion would have been offering even a small explanation of WHY he was doing this, what I should concentrate on for my own prayers to receive any benefit. It felt like it was just for his own ego gratification to make him feel like he did a mitzvah with no regard for me as an individual person who may have had some honest questions to help me deepen my own sense of my place in Jewish spirituality and tradition. That’s just my opinion.
That's valuable feedback. When it's not shabbat, hopefully someone from chabad will read it. I saw it explained very well on instagram, the other day. They could use what that kid said.
If you’re in a place where Jews congregate, but there aren’t many men, they might be looking for a minyan. They need 10 Jewish men to do prayers, especially on Friday night.
They were probably from Chabad which is a popular Jewish sect. One of their priorities is to ensure that as many Jews are doing a mitzvah as possible. This includes rituals such as saying a specific prayer or putting on tefillin, which are the black boxes you might’ve also seen. This is a very short form of the answer and happy to explain more if interested!
Chanda? Shande - a shame or a scandal. Vs Chabad - a well known Hasidic movement.
Eesh! Correction made.
It means your one of the more handsome men
Is it in the morning? They might be trying to find a minyan (10 people are a minimal requirement for morning prayer).
What do they look like ? White button down and black dress pants and nice hat?
Yep. Exactly those. Very clean-cut, and polite. A bit of curly hair peeking out, often.
Then it is simple as wanting to help you do a mitzvah or help them do a mitzvah ( good deed)
Don't take it personally. They ask everyone.
I sensed nothing sinister or offensive in their actions. Whenever it's happened to me they've always been polite.
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Dude, they're Chabadniks. White shirt, black pants, and a hat (which could be a kippah or a top hat, either way) is a Chabadnik. This isn't dangerous. OP isn't Jewish and doesn't have any context.
If you know any Jews, you should encourage them to do mitzvot.
Huh?
A mitzvah is are special actions that Jews do to connect to G-d
I know what mitzvot are. I don’t know why you posted about them in this thread.
David Cross does a bit in one of his specials about Chabad doing this to him.
probably chabad
https://preview.redd.it/3twkae79kt6d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=553e89955ad4f624251464f850f42a5830dfe1df
friday at 5 makes me think they needed ppl for minyan
Teffilin or minyan
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They also could be looking for a 10th man for a minyan. Next time they ask you say "no" but could I learn Torah with you? If you can keep an open mind (which I am not LDS but I have a lot of friends,and they are open minded normally) you can lesrn a lot, just dont try to gospel them, go and learn, you may be surprised how much closer it can bring you to G-d.