With the passing of Larry King, the iconic television personality and radio host, many outlets have been hashing out his lifelong relationship with Judaism and Jewish organizations.

To add to that conversation, I want to share my experience, which I believe may be the one time that Larry—a proud Jew with a warm place for Yiddishkeit in his heart—put on tefillin on camera. Here is how it happened.

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Every year on the Friday on or near the birthday of Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz, Jews around the world do mitzvahs in his honor. It is a special gift for Rabbi Yitzi, whose body has been immobilized by ALS.

Using the hashtag #tefillinforyitzi, thousands of men put on tefillinand recite a small prayer, while thousands of women commit to light Shabbat candles that afternoon in his merit.

As the co-director of Chabad Sunset Strip, which is near where Larry lived, I took upon myself to encourage a specific amount of people to do mitzvahs for Rabbi Yitzi.

It was a busy day, and I was gratified by how many people went out of their comfort zones to perform mitzvahs as a tribute to Rabbi Yitzi, who is a font of unending inspiration and good cheer.

Shabbat was approaching, and I had not yet reached as many people as I needed to. Accompanied by my then-7-year-old son, I decided to knock on the Kings’ front door and try my luck.

Larry’s wife greeted us and asked how she could help. I explained what we were doing and why, and she graciously invited us inside.

We came in and saw Larry watching baseball on TV. A native Brooklyner, he was a diehard Dodgers fan. Also a Brooklyner, I am a Yankees fan, and my son has followed in my footsteps.

My son and Larry soon got into a heated baseball conversation, and the ice was broken.

When he heard why we had come, he was delighted to take part in the campaign, which had been initiated by the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, back in 1967.

After putting on tefillin and saying Shema, Larry went one step further and shared a short message, which we then passed on to Rabbi Yitzi.

And that is how Larry King put on tefillin on camera.