NEW YORK (JTA) – Charles Smith tries to recall the last time he participated in the tefillin ritual as the rabbinical student wraps his arm. “It’s been a long time,” Smith says ...

He agrees, we do tefillin together, take a picture,” Farro said in an interview, using the Hebrew word for the small black boxes observant Jews bind to their head and arm on weekdays ...

The reason for wearing the tefillin is based on a biblical law, which states: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your being, and all your might. These words that I am commanding you ...