Laying tefillin each morning has become an important way for me to slow down and reconnect. When a friend reintroduced me to morning prayers, it reminded me that tefillin isn’t just a ritual I perform — it’s a daily moment of alignment, of bringing my thoughts, intentions, and actions back into balance. Returning to this practice has given me a sense of steadiness and perspective, especially during a season when much of life has felt uncertain.

When I realized the tefillin I had been using were simply too old to continue, I honestly didn’t know what I would do. After being let go from my job of eight years, finances were tight, and replacing them wasn’t realistic. A friend of mine, Mark Pitcher, who also happens to be a rabbi, told me about the Barber Foundation, and receiving these tefillin at no cost meant more to me than I can easily express. Each morning when I put them on, I feel genuine gratitude — not just for the tefillin themselves, but for the kindness behind them and the reminder that support often shows up right when it’s needed most.