In a moving scene of Jewish unity and redemption, Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman gifted tefillin and tallitot to fifteen incarcerated teens, marking their Bar Mitzvah on the holiest night of the year inside Rimonim Prison.
On the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, a rare and deeply moving Bar Mitzvah ceremony was held inside Rimonim Prison for fifteen incarcerated teenagers.
The initiative was spearheaded by Rabbi Yitzhak David Grossman, founder of Migdal Ohr and a longtime spiritual guide to prisoners across Israel. For decades, Rabbi Grossman has worked hand-in-hand with the Israel Prison Service to restore dignity and hope to those who have strayed, embodying the Jewish value that no soul is ever beyond redemption.
Rabbi Grossman personally purchased and financed fifteen sets of tefillin and tallitot, ensuring each teenager could step into Jewish adulthood with honor. Together with the Prison Service, he organized a ceremony that blended tradition with renewal—complete with heartfelt Selichot prayers, a sermon in preparation for Yom Kippur, and joyous singing and dancing.
For the first time in their lives, the young men wrapped tefillin and recited the blessings. Rabbi Grossman, his voice breaking with emotion, declared:
“This is a moment of supreme favor in heaven. All the angels above stand in awe and shed a tear for this holy occasion.”
The ceremony was attended by Israel Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yakobi and senior commanders, reflecting the State of Israel’s commitment not only to justice but also to compassion and spiritual restoration.
Volunteers from the organization Shav’at Asirim stayed long after the prayers concluded, lifting spirits with dancing and encouragement, turning a prison hall into a place of joy and brotherhood.
As Israel entered Yom Kippur, the night of atonement and forgiveness, these teenagers—despite their incarceration—stood tall in their Jewish identity, reminded that even behind bars, the light of Torah and tradition shines bright.
