Tallis Bag Recovered From Fort Lauderdale Airport Dumpster
A New York Charedi traveler experienced an unexpected miracle this week when his lost Tallis and Tefillin were recovered from a dumpster at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after a coordinated effort.
by COLlive Editor · COLliveA New York Charedi traveler experienced an unexpected miracle this week when his lost Tallis and Tefillin were recovered from a dumpster at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after a coordinated effort involving Chaveirim, airport officials, Waste Management, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Tovy Schwartz was traveling from FLL to JFK on Sunday when he suddenly realized his Tallis and Tefillin were missing shortly before boarding. Believing they may have been misplaced, he first contacted Chaveirim for assistance. But after hours of searching and no progress, Schwartz feared the items might have been accidentally discarded.
That concern led him to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, where deputies reviewed airport surveillance footage. In what became the crucial breakthrough, they confirmed that a cleaning crew had mistakenly thrown the Tallis and Tefillin into a waste container. That information set off a race against the clock: the airport’s garbage was already en route to be transferred and processed.
Realizing the urgency, Schwartz reached out to Rabbi Eli Eckstein, the airport’s chaplain and Chabad Rabbi of Dania Beach. Rabbi Eckstein immediately mobilized.
Using his contacts within the airport’s aviation offices, Rabbi Eckstein arranged for the Waste Management truck to be stopped before continuing to its final destination. That temporary hold allowed Chaveirim of South Florida to gain access and begin a painstaking search of the massive dumpster.
Speaking to VIN News, Rabbi Eckstein said, “As soon as I was contacted, I reached out to airport officials and the waste management company and arranged for the waste truck to be held so the dumpster wouldn’t continue to its final destination. With the help of Chaveirim, we were able to search and recover the Tallis and Tefillin before they were lost.”
On Tuesday, after extensive sifting through refuse at the Waste Management facility on State Road 7, volunteers located the Tallis bag containing the sacred items — just hours before the dumpster was set to be fully emptied.
Schwartz expressed tremendous gratitude for everyone involved. “Rabbi Eli Eckstein deserves the world’s credit for his quick action. Without his intervention, nothing would have happened here,” he told VIN News. “I can’t be thankful enough — to him, to the volunteers, to the airport officials, to Waste Management, and especially to the Broward Sheriff’s Office for giving me the first clue. It was truly a Kiddush Hashem to see so many people not give up.”
The recovery of the Tallis and Tefillin — religious items of deep personal and spiritual significance — left Schwartz visibly emotional.
What began as a moment of panic ended as a powerful reminder of communal devotion, swift cooperation, and the determination not to let something holy be lost.
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