Mi K'Amcha Yisrael
Lost and Found: Haredi Traveler's Tefillin Miraculously Recovered from Airport Trash in Heartwarming Rescue
From airport trash to triumphant recovery: A Haredi traveler's lost tefillin and tallis spark a miraculous Jewish community rescue in Florida, echoing past tales of unwavering faith and solidarity.
In a tale of mishap turned miracle, a New York Haredi traveler accidentally tossed his tallis and tefillin bag into the trash at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) following a flight in November 2025.
Realizing the devastating loss of these sacred items, he immediately sought assistance from Chaveirim volunteers, who sprang into action.The group coordinated with airport officials to gain access to the dumpster area, where they meticulously sifted through piles of garbage until the bag was recovered intact.
The incident has been hailed as a "Mi Ke'amcha Yisroel" moment, a testament to the extraordinary lengths Jews go to support one another and preserve religious artifacts.
This isn't the first time such a dramatic recovery has captured hearts.
In December 2020, a Jewish man in New York misplaced his tefillin, which ended up in a city garbage truck; dedicated volunteers and sanitation workers spent hours combing through the refuse to retrieve them successfully. Similarly, in March 2017, Hasidic Jews teamed up with Brooklyn sanitation crews to dig through a waste facility and locate another lost set of tefillin.
And back in November 2016, a community search for discarded tefillin in the garbage was eventually called off, though it highlighted the profound importance placed on recovering these holy items.
These recurring stories illuminate the deep spiritual value of tefillin and the unwavering commitment of Jewish communities worldwide to safeguard them, no matter the odds.