Here is another interesting mezuzah-in-space story. Jewish astronaut Garrett Reisman, a New Jersey native, spent time aboard the International Space Station and brought a mezuzah with him to his sleep station.
The original Haaretz article described Reisman as the first Jew to have lived on the International Space Station. The Forward later summarized the story, noting that Reisman put up a mezuzah after arriving on the station and joked that he hoped he had not gotten into any rabbinic trouble. You can read The Forward’s coverage here: Write Them Upon The Doorposts of Your Space Station.
Years later, Reisman also spoke with the Jewish Journal about the experience, saying that he brought a mezuzah with him and kept it at his sleep station. You can read that interview here: Garrett Reisman: The First Jewish Astronaut on the International Space Station.
A Mezuzah at a Sleep Station in Space
There is something very human about this story. The International Space Station is not a house in the ordinary sense. It does not have the normal doorways, rooms, and daily rhythms of a home. But for an astronaut living in space, even a small personal area can become the place where identity, memory, and comfort matter most.
A mezuzah is normally placed on the doorway of a Jewish home. It contains Torah passages from the Shema, handwritten on klaf (קְלָף, parchment), and placed inside a mezuzah case. In a regular home, the mitzvah depends on proper placement and a kosher mezuzah scroll.
In Reisman’s case, the story is also about Jewish identity. Even in orbit, far away from any ordinary home, the mezuzah remained a reminder of who he was and where he came from.
What Makes the Mezuzah So Powerful?
The mezuzah is small, but it carries an enormous message. It reminds us that Jewish life does not only belong in synagogues or study halls. It belongs in the places where we live, work, sleep, travel, and build our lives.
That is why the mezuzah has become such a visible sign of Jewish home life. The case is what we see on the outside, but the heart of the mitzvah is the scroll inside, handwritten by a qualified sofer STaM (סוֹפֵר סת״ם, Jewish scribe). Our article on what a sofer STaM is explains who writes these sacred scrolls and why that matters.
From the Doorposts of Your Home to the International Space Station
The Torah commands us to place these words on the doorposts of our homes and gates. For most of us, that means a front door, bedroom, hallway, office, or another doorway in the home. You can read our practical guide on which rooms need a mezuzah.
Stories like this one are unusual, but they help show why the mezuzah is so meaningful. Whether on a doorway in a Jewish home or kept by an astronaut in space, the mezuzah carries a message of Torah, Jewish identity, and connection.
If you want the other side of the mezuzah-in-space story, read our earlier post about Gregory Chamitoff’s shuttle mezuzah.
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