Texas A&M’s Sam Salz is breaking barriers as the first Orthodox Jew to make a Division 1 college football roster. Watch why he chose to take on this incredible challenge in “Kippah on the Field,” a new short film by Merkos 302’s OneMitzvah.
Sam Salz, a standout football player at Texas A&M University, is making history as the first Orthodox Jew to play Division 1 college football. In “Kippah on the Field,” the second installment in a series of short films produced by OneMitzvah, he recounts his inspiring journey.
Recognizing a lack of Orthodox Jewish representation in high-level football, Sam committed himself to a rigorous training regimen for nine straight months, ultimately achieving his goal. As Sam proudly wore his kippah and tzitzis on the field, one mitzvah quickly led to the next. After discovering that his assistant athletic director was Jewish, they began laying tefillin together, learning Torah in his office, and delivering challahs to him before Shabbos.
“By being proud of who he is and by acting the way he does, Sam is impacting a whole generation of young Jewish athletes,” says Eli Newman, Director of OneMitzvah at Merkos 302.
“In his unique position, Sam truly embodies the Rebbe’s vision for every person using their position and platform to promote Mitzvos and good deeds,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Director of Merkos 302. “Mivtzoim is not only for Rabbis, but for every Jew where ever they may find themsleves.”
OneMitzvah’s mission is to create opportunities for more mitzvos to be done by more people in every setting. As part of this mission, OneMitzvah produces short films to highlight extraordinary mitzvah-sharing stories in unique situations. To date, the platform has facilitated 1.2 million mitzvos by over 63,000 people worldwide, turning countless moments into meaningful mitzvah opportunities.
Personalize your campaign today at onemitzvah.org
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