Mitzvah tank
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Mitzvah tank or Mitzva tanks are large vehicles, usually a big van, or travel trailer, or recreational vehicle or campervan, sometimes even a pickup truck with a Sukkah on it, that are utilized by the Orthodox Judaism practitioners of Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism as portable "educational and outreach centers" and "mini-synagogues", or when carrying a Sukkah as "Sukkah-mobiles", to reach out to secular and alienated Jews in high-density population areas where the Lubavitchers seek to promote the practice of Judaism by Jews.
The word Mitzvah means a "commandment" of the Torah in Judaism, but also carries with it the connotation of a good deed. Lubavitchers use these vehicles to spread the teachings of Judaism to the Jewish masses in "military fashion" in which "campaigns" and battles are fought, hence the naming of the vans and trucks as "tanks".
The strategy behind the Mitzvah tank "campaigns" was designed and encouraged by the seventh and last rebbe of Chabad Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994).
Mitzvah tanks are usually seen on the eve of major Jewish holidays, or on Fridays prior to Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath). The vehicles often have large banners on them extolling some aspect of Judaism or something about Rabbi Schneerson, perhaps even lauding him as the long-awaited Moshiach (the Jewish "Messiah"). Some Mitzvah Tanks have external speakers attached which are used to play klezmer-style music. The tanks, usually manned by young Lubavitch men, park in areas with heavy people-traffic and seek Jews to perform Mitzahs by asking passers-by: "Are you Jewish?"
Lubavitchers manning the tank will usually hand out brochures or cards with information about performing mitzvot. They will also assist those who are willing to perform religious rituals, such as the putting on of Tefillin (phylacteries) with men and boys, or provide the materials to do so, such as handing out candles to women and girls to light for Shabbat.
Mitzvah tanks have been commonplace on the streets of New York City since 1974. Today they are found all over the globe in cities where the Lubavitch movement is active.
It is a belief among some Jews that the completion of enough mitzvot will bring the Moshiach (the Jewish Messiah). Many Lubavitch members view the Mitzvah tanks as a way of hastening this process.
