Rabbi Ari Shishler, director of Chabad of Strathavon, South Africa, takes a moment to snap a selfie with a Jewish man donning tefillin at the Western Wall Fifty years ago, the Lubavitcher Rebbe launched the Tefillin Campaign, encouraging Jewish males over the age of 13 to don tefillin daily. To celebrate this anniversary, we’ve collected pictures of Jews around the world sharing in this special mitzvah

The Guardian of Israel Photo: JEM A Chabad Chassid helps Israeli soldiers don tefillin in the build up to the Six-Day War. The Rebbe underscored the protective and redemptive power of this mitzvah for all Jews. No matter where you may be in the world, you can connect spiritually.

By the Western Wall Phot: Israel National Archive As soon as the Western Wall plaza was opened to the public in June 1967, Chabad Chassidim helped Jews visiting the holy site don tefillin.

By the Sea Photo: Merkos Shlichus A man puts on tefillin in Barranquilla, Colombia, with the help of a “Roving Rabbi” taking part in the Merkos summer visitation program.

In the Desert Photo: Bentzi Sasson Two teens participating in the CTeen Xtreme summer camp wrap tefillin and say the prayers outside of Lake Powell, Arizona.

In the Mountains Photo: Merkos Shlichus

At a Resort Photo: Merkos Shlichus This picture was taken at Manorca, Peru.

On an Island Rabbi Berel Pewzner, co-director of Chabad Cayman Islands, helps two men with tefillin.

Or in a Suburban Office Rabbi Nochem Tenenboim helps Jews in Hewlett, N.Y., do a mitzvah.

You Can Put on Tefillin All Alone Photo: Bentzi Sasson A young Jew on the CTeen Heritage Trip prays on top of Masada, Israel.

Or With a Friend Photo: Bentzi Sasson Two students taking part in the annual Chabad on Campus International Shabbaton wear tefillin at the Ohel, the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—in Queens, N.Y. Photo: Merkos Shlichus Jewish competitors in the Maccabi games put on tefillin in Berlin.

From the Ashes of the Holocaust Photo: Yad Vashem Jewish survivors in a Displaced Persons camp following World War II.

To return again and say, “We’re still here!” Photo: Bentzi Sasson A young Jew on the CTeen Heritage Trip to Poland and Israel prays on the grounds of Auschwitz.

On a Mitzvah Tank Photo: JEM

Or a real tank Photo: Israel National Archive

Whether you started putting on when you were young ... Photo: Merkos Shlichus

… or old Holocaust survivor Sam Zelikson, 85, put on tefillin for the first time on an unlikely day, Tisha B’Av, known to be the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.

At Home Photo: Chabad of Tidewater

On vacation Photo: Mordechai Lightstone A Jewish man puts on tefillin while visiting Venice’s famed Piazza San Marco. The Talmud was burnt there in 1553. Photo: Merkos Shlichus

Whether Ashkenazi ... Photo: Mordechai Lightstone

… or Sephardic Photo: Bentzi Sasson

A Chinese Jew So-Han Fan discovered his Jewish roots and heritage after moving to China.

Or a Jewverine

From Anchorage Rabbi Yosef Greenberg, co-director of the Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska, wraps tefillin with a Jewish visitor.

To Zhitomir

By way of Machu Picchu

Montana Photo: Chabad of Montana

Pisa Photo: Merkos Shlichus

Rome