Winning Wrap Battles: Yossi Farro, The Celebrity Tefillin Wrapper

Many men, Jewish or not, have encountered bearded men asking them if they’re Jewish. Whether on the streets of Manhattan, on an airplane, or in Home Depot, Chabadsters approach people, asking them if they would like to wrap tefillin. This approach might seem “aggressive” to some, but Yossi Farro credits Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks saying that the Nazis hunted down every Jew with hate, so [Chabad’s] mission is to hunt every Jew down with love.

Yossi Farro inadvertently became the celebrity tefillin wrapper. Once an “average Chabad guy,” he found himself in the right places at the right times, offering the mitzvah to some of the most recognizable names in business, entertainment, and politics. From James Franco to Bill Ackman, Michael Rappaport to Jared Kushner, and even nightlife mogul Dave Grutman, Farro has helped an impressive roster of Jewish men don tefillin.

But for Farro, the act is not about fame—it’s about the power of one mitzvah leading to another. The Talmud teaches, mitzvah goreret mitzvah—one good deed sparks another. Wrapping tefillin, a tangible connection to Judaism and G-d, often opens the door to deeper engagement. Business magnate Daniel Loeb, known for his financial acumen, once advised that the best business strategy is to wrap tefillin. The sentiment speaks to a larger truth: spiritual commitment fosters discipline, clarity, and success.

Yossi recounts a story from when he was 14 years old, just starting his journey of approaching people on the street to put on tefillin. He went to a store and asked the owner if he was Jewish, but the owner denied it. Yossi persisted, telling the owner that he would come back the next week A few months later, Yossi was walking down the street and met a man who said he puts on tefillin every day, but had missed it that day. Yossi asked if they could do it together, and the man said his son’s store was nearby, so they went there. When they arrived, the store owner recognized Yossi and was embarrassed, as he had previously denied being Jewish. Yossi then put tefillin on with the man, who turned out to be the father of the original store owner. For the past 7 years since then, Yossi has continued putting tefillin on with the son over 100 times, and they have developed a close relationship.

Farro’s encounters with celebrities and non-celebrities alike are more than just viral moments; they are stepping stones for individuals to reconnect with their roots. Many who have wrapped tefillin with him go on to do other mitzvot—lighting Shabbat candles, giving tzedakah, or deepening their Jewish learning. The small act of tefillin can serve as a spiritual spark, reminding people of who they are and where they come from. In a time of increasing Jew hatred, celebrities publicly wrapping with Yossi are helping to increase Jewish, pride, love and commitment, the perfect antidote to antisemitism.

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