London’s #WrapItUp Challenge Meets 5,000 Tefillin Goal

Throughout the summer, Jewish high school students across London embarked on a unique spiritual journey through the “#WrapItUp” Tefillin Challenge.

The initiative, led by 17-year-old Shua Levin, who is on Shlichus with his family in Brondesbury Park and heads the Chabad@Hasmo group, successfully concluded after six weeks of enthusiastic participation, leaving a lasting impact on the community.

The head boys of several high schools, all of varying religiosity including JFS, Yavneh College, Immanuel College, and Hasmonean, all collaborated to promote the campaign to hundreds of participants.

Key figures such as Avi Grose, Emmanuel Hackenbroch, Jacob Shelly, Eliav Staffler, David Sykes, and Ben Ross played pivotal roles in organizing and driving the initiative.

In addition, multiple organizations including CTeen, Chazak, Sinai, Bnei Akiva, Tribe, and Aish got involved, further expanding the campaign’s reach and impact.

Together, they encouraged their peers to lay tefillin daily throughout the summer, turning a simple act of faith into a nationwide movement. The campaign’s goal was straightforward yet powerful: to inspire as many boys as possible to lay tefillin each day during their summer break, a period that often lacks the structure that school provides and the daily window to lay tefillin. Participants were motivated not only by the spiritual benefits but also by the chance to win an array of exciting prizes, from restaurant vouchers sponsored by London vendors to VIP experiences in sporting clubs.

The response was overwhelming. Throughout the summer, more than 5,000 tefillin selfies were shared by participants, a testament to the widespread enthusiasm and commitment the campaign inspired. Boys from across London shared their tefillin experiences on social media, tagged their friends, and encouraged others to join, creating a strong sense of community.

“It was incredible to see so many of my friends, who I’ve never seen wrapping tefillin, especially in the summer holidays, participating in the campaign!” said Saul, a participant from Immanuel College.

Looking back at the campaign, the initiative not only saw high participation rates but also left a lasting impression on many teens who may now carry the habit of laying tefillin into their daily routines beyond the summer. Another participant noted that the challenge was more than just the prizes: “It was about building a lifelong connection to a mitzvah that is central to our faith. I know for a fact that myself and others will take this mitzvah and continue to #WrapItUp throughout the year.”

The “Wrap It Up” challenge, which initially started as a simple idea, grew into a significant community effort, showing the power of youth-led initiatives in fostering spiritual growth and unity. As the school year begins, the impact of this summer campaign will undoubtedly be felt in the halls of London’s Jewish schools, where boys will continue to wrap it up, both literally and figuratively.