Terumah Text Study: Cultivating Sanctuary through Collective Action

"In RambaN's reading, the idea of a sanctuary for God in their midst is a token of transformation: after the Revelation and the Covenant, they have become fit vessels for the Presence of God. He continues to describe the 'secret of the Mishkan:" it is to be a version of Mt Sinai that they can carry with them on their travels (he quotes the Zohar). There are many linguistic resonances linking Sinai with the Tabernacle, including references to God's 'glory', and to His voice emerging 'from the midst of the fire', and 'from between the cherubim'. The Mishkan is to provide a solution to the problem of retaining Revelation-how is Sinai to remain with them, part of them, central to them?... For RambaN, this possibility is realised in the people's transformation at Sinai. They are now worthy to carry a version of Sinai with them on their travels through the wilderness, a medium for God to continue revealing Himself."
-Aviva Zornberg, page316

"The Divine presence does not rest in the sanctuary on account of the sanctuary, but on account of Israel, for they constitute the Temple of God.”
(Translation: Nehama Liebowitz)
“What God is seeking here is not entering into the sanctuary, but into their hearts.” – Liebowitz on Zedah LaDerech
-Zedah LaDerech, 14th Century Spanish Commentator. Student of Abarbanel

"The atonement function of the Mishkan evokes the idea of a therapeutic project, as indeed, our midrash clearly implies, in its closing quotation from Jeremiah: 'I will bring healing to you and cure you of your wounds.'"
-Zornberg, page320

Part II: Collective Giving, Community Treasures, & Contemporary Aid:
What Terumah can teach us about leadership and community engagement

"RETHINKING THE PHILANTHROPIC SCRIPT: COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY, COLLECTIVE GIVING AND GIVING CIRCLES
COLLECTIVE PHILANTHROPY
In the mid- to late 90s, giving circles began to receive much written press. According to the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers in Washington, D.C., “The concept is as simple as it is powerful. A giving circle is formed when individuals come together and pool their philanthropic dollars, decide where to give the money (and other resources such as volunteer time) and learn together about their community and philanthropy.” The forum’s 2007 study identified more than 400 circles engaging more than 12,000 donors and giving close to $100 million over the course of their existence.
Giving circles are one way for people to organize and pool their time, talent and treasure collectively, and redirect these collective assets strategically to benefit their community. It is important to note that although giving circles are garnering most of the attention as a giving trend within the field of philanthropy, we see other forms of collective giving taking place in communities, fueling the demographic transition. They are just as effective and are based in deep historical and cultural traditions. These collective giving models include hometown associations, mutual aid societies, fraternities and sororities, or organized giving through faith or religious practices. People have been organizing and transferring their resources collectively within plain sight of everyone, with or without recognition from organized philanthropy"
Darryl Lester and Athan Lindsay
https://www.ncrp.org/publication/responsive-philanthropy-summer-2009/rethinking-philanthropic-script-community-philanthropy-collective-giving-giving-circles

A Time for Giving Leadership
"Then there is the other kind of leadership: giving leadership.
Rather than seizing the wheel, giving leadership is taking a friend’s hand and laying it on the wheel. Rather than stepping up to be the one others follow, it is being the one who encourages and supports others to step up themselves.
“Giving leadership” is a verb, as in to give leadership to another. At the same time, it’s also a noun, a certain type of leadership, like servant leadership.
The essential identifying trait of giving leadership is that it is an approach to leading that is all about others, rather than about the leader himself or herself. It is the leadership style of one who adopts an other focus, rather than a me focus.
It’s so easy (and so tempting) for a leadership position to be something one sees as a personal asset, a stepping stone toward building one’s own résumé, reputation, or portfolio. A giving leader operates, day-to-day and moment to moment, from the perspective that this leadership position is a way to help build, promote, enhance, and prosper the enterprise and its people first."
https://talentculture.com/a-time-for-giving-leadership/

"Why Being a Generous Leader Can Make You a Great Leader
Albert Camus said, "Real generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present." How often, as leaders, we are so focused on future achievements, on realizing the vision of the organization, that in the process, we neglect the people who are there. A leader of a successful software firm confessed to me once that she woke up one day realizing how much she had disconnected emotionally from the people who did the work in her organization, while focusing on the strategic imperatives of the company. Today, we have a tendency to be too self-absorbed. We become self-involved to the point where, without intending it, we exclude others; and we often only consciously notice that we have excluded them when they have become disengaged. Self-absorption inherently prevents generosity. Once in a while, it helps to stop and ask oneself, "Am I giving enough to the people around me?"
Here are some practical tips to enhance our generosity of spirit:

1. Give people a sense of importance
   In Adele Lynn's book, "In Search of Honor: Lessons from Workers in How to Build Trust," we learn that 55 percent of workers value "giving people a sense of importance" as the number one item for building trust in the workplace. Consider what small actions you could take intentionally today to make people feel that the work they do is important, and that they themselves, as people, are important to your team.
2. Give feedback, not criticism
   If giving frequent criticism is your style of management, consider some of these questions: is your motivation genuine, or is it to gain points? Are you picking the right moment? Are you stopping to reflect how you might deliver the feedback while still honoring the other person?
3. Give people visibility
   Giving people visibility in your organization is a special gift we bestow to help others shine and grow. I encourage you to think how you might give people more access to senior executives, and more access to your boss. Consider as well that people like to know that their boss's boss knows the great contributions they made to a project, or about their significant effort in writing a report that does not bear their name. Knowing that our leader is representing us well to upper management is a high-octane motivator, and engenders fierce loyalty.
4. Give anonymously
   Real generosity of spirit is doing something for someone without their knowledge. Think of one or two deserving people in your organization that you can help by planting a career-enhancing seed on their behalf – perhaps saying something positive about their work to someone in authority?
5. Know when to forgive
   Martin Luther King said that, "The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind." Consider how harboring vindictive thoughts, even though so compelling at times, is nothing but violence to oneself. A characteristic of a generous person is a total lack of resentment – it's in effect being too noble, too big for that. Who do you need to forgive? What do you need to let go?
6. Give encouragement
   Look around you and pick someone who needs encouragement, and resolve to give them that. Consider that some people have never received encouragement in their life – not from teachers, not from bosses, not even from parents.
7. Give opportunity
   One of the most valuable gifts we can give someone is giving them a chance. Is there someone right now to whom you could give a second chance to prove themselves? If so, what active steps can you take to create the right circumstances for them to succeed? What doors can you open for someone who is well deserving, but not well positioned to be noticed?
8. Share your knowledge and experience
   Resolve to become a philanthropist of know-how. What knowledge, expertise, or best practices can you share with others as a way to enrich them? For inspiration, read about other leaders who practice teaching in their organization for everyone's benefit – for example, Jack Welch, whose calendar was filled with hundreds of hours spent teaching thousands of GE managers and executives at the company's training center at Croton-on-Hudson; or the ex-CEO of Intel, Andy Grove, who devoted considerable amounts of time to teaching newly hired and senior managers his philosophy on how to lead in an industry where innovation goes stale very quickly.
9. Give moral support
   Public speaking is known to be among the greatest fears experienced by millions of people. The next time you attend a presentation given by an apprehensive team member, practice giving them moral support. The simplest of generous acts are abstaining from checking your Blackberry, giving the odd nod in agreement, and practicing looking with kind eyes. Finally, take some inspiration from Walt Whitman's beautiful words, "The habit of giving enhances the desire to give." Giving is like building a muscle. It requires practice and persistence – once it becomes habitual, you will emerge as a stronger leader."

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_55.htm
Bruna Martinuzzi, "The Leader as a Mensch: Become the Kind of Person Others Want to Follow."

"How Lending Circles Create Community Resilience
Mutual Aid Societies
A mutual aid society is an organization formed to provide mutual aid, benefit, and/or insurance among its members. Benefits are not necessarily monetary and may include services and social activities. Members of mutual aid societies have a democratic voice in the organization and have an equal opportunity to receive benefits, depending on their needs and the needs of others.
The foundation of all mutual aid practices is trust and a sense of community. Without trust and community ties, members will not be encouraged to contribute their money, services, and/or time to the group. Members may leave a mutual aid society if they do not believe that the group has their best interests in mind. Potential lending circle members may shy away from participating altogether if they fear someone may run away with a loan and not pay the circle back. Likewise, someone may refrain from joining a giving circle if she does not trust in the circle’s ability to abide by its core values when selecting grantees.
Mutual aid groups may build trust by focusing on the group’s common bonds and engaging in social activities.
Lending circles, especially in immigrant communities, traditionally employ this same concept by gathering together not only for financial support, but also to maintain and grow a stronger sense of community. By building strong relationships among members, groups help to ensure that members will feel accountable to the group and remain involved.
The Future of Mutual Aid
Today’s economic crisis has imposed financial hardship on low- and middle-income communities. Despite this, the creativity and resourcefulness of mutual aid groups that prioritize community over wealth maximization have provided pathways to economic stability. With further research and advocacy, these pathways can become more widespread and build the economic resilience of our communities."
https://www.shareable.net/gifting-circles-and-the-monetization-of-everything/
Jassmin Poyaoan, with input from Janelle Orsi, Executive Director, Sustainable Economies Law Center.

"Beyond More: The Transformative Potential of Mutual Aid
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a greatly increased awareness of the concept of, and the need for, mutual aid, as communities see a set of growing needs whose scale exceeds the capacity that simple charity models can handle.
The national statistic of 36 million new unemployment claims masks the even larger numbers of people who have lived precariously in an informal economy that did not even entitle them to make claims on these government-managed resources. At a local level, it has meant tens of thousands of families without provisions to meet their basic needs. In a crisis of this scale and density, there simply isn’t going to be enough charity to go around.
Mutual Aid, based on the idea that everyone has needs that should be met and that everyone has something to offer to help meet others’ needs, activates everyone as part of the solution, and thus has potential to get to the scale we need.
Philanthropy typically focuses on charitable giving, seldom asking recipients to also contribute to the pool of available resources. Mutual Aid roots itself in the notion that if we all contribute, we come closer to making sure that everyone’s needs are met. Mutual aid, in comparison to charity, is not just a transactional exchange, but also a much-needed exercise in being in community with one another
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/beyond-more-the-transformative-potential-of-mutual-aid/
Ed Whitfield, Sohnie Black, Alexandria Jonas and Marnie Thompson

"Simple Ways to Make Your Home into Your Sanctuary
Suddenly, because of the pandemic, our homes have become one-stop shops. It’s where we work, teach our kids, and attend religious services. It’s where we sleep, eat, and relax (in theory).
Besides taking walks and running urgent errands, most of us are staying in. So, it’s helpful to make our homes into a place we actually want to be.
Currently, our homes need to “replace a lot of the ‘feel-good’ emotions we had in going out,” said Victoria Vajgrt, a professional home organizer in San Francisco. For example, she said, the yoga studio helped us to relax, while romantic restaurants helped us to reconnect to our partners.
Creating a safe, serene space combats stress and hyperviligence. “The COVID-19 pandemic is causing our brains and bodies to be in a constant state of fight, flight, freeze, as we are experiencing ongoing trauma, fears of scarcity, and feelings of helplessness on a personal, professional, and global level,” said Nidhi Tewari, LCSW, an EMDR therapist who treats trauma and anxiety in Richmond, Va.
And it’s hard to de-stress in a chaotic, cluttered space, noted Katie Lear, LCMHC, a therapist in Davidson, N.C. Many of her clients have reported that rearranging and redecorating their homes has helped to boost their mood.
“It can feel empowering to take control of your own space and make something new and different out of the familiar,” Lear said.
But this doesn’t have to be a complicated, involved process. Here are 12 simple tips for making your home into a sanctuary that supports your mental health.
Create a dedicated workspace. This could be a separate room—or it could be a corner in your bedroom, a spot in the guest room, or the dining room table, said Patty Morrissey, an organizing and lifestyle consultant and KonMari consultant in Huntington, N.Y. To get you into a productive frame of mind, she said, use this space or desk solely for your work.
If space is super limited, use a portable file box to contain your work materials and tools—“when the box comes out, you know it’s time for work,” Morrissey said.
Communicate about everyone’s needs. Talk to everyone in your household about what they need from your home and what a sanctuary looks like for them, Morrissey said. Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R, a psychotherapist in Valley Stream, N.Y., has a work corner where her 7- and 9-year-old kids typically play. She’s talked to them about the importance of this space for her—to take calls, work, and stay calm and focused.
Add meaningful touches. Fludd put live flowers and a diffuser on her desk to instantly invoke a sense of peace and signal that this is her space. “I also face the wall which has a framed quote on it, and keeps me from seeing the explosion of Legos behind me, [creating] the mirage that this is my escape.”
Look to your senses. Los Angeles-based master coach Jackie Gartman suggested asking yourself these questions to create a sanctuary on your own terms:
To create a sense-based space, Gartman said, you might play jazz while cooking dinner, spray lavender on your pillows before bed, bake Grandma’s cookies, and put wind chimes on your patio.
Create a Zen zone. Creating a specific spot in your home solely for relaxation helps you cultivate a habit of relaxation, said Andrea Travillian, a life and business coach who helps women transform their lives into the happy successful dreams they crave.
And this space can be anywhere—your spare bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, balcony, or screened-in porch, Tewari said. She suggested adding soft blankets, fluffy pillows, holiday lights, and plants or flowers.
Travillian has a chair and side table in her bedroom that’s dedicated to journaling, meditating, and drinking her morning coffee.
If your retreat is your bathroom, make your bath or shower into a luxurious experience. Use candles, which “add aromatherapy and a soothing glow to the space,” and put towels in the dryer for a warm, sensory experience, Tewari said.
Make a soothing sensory box. According to Tewari, you can use this in your Zen zone or anywhere in your house. She suggested using any storage container to house items that calm and comfort you. “Having all of these items in one place will take away the pressure of finding a way to decompress at the end of the day, when decision fatigue has taken ahold.”
Focus on lighting. During the day, open up the blinds or curtains to let in natural sunlight. In the early morning and evening, use candlelight to “increase a sanctuary-like atmosphere,” said Carla Marie Manly, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist in Sonoma County, Calif.
Use special-occasion items. Morrissey stressed the importance of taking out the fine china, cloth napkins, pretty placements, and linen tablecloth. Put on your favorite perfume or silk shirt. Burn the good candle you’ve been saving. “This may seem frivolous, but little joys go a long way,” she said.
Bring the outdoors in. If you’re able to get outside, Vajgrt suggested gathering rocks, pruning a bush and arranging the clippings in a vase, or growing new plants from existing greenery. What natural objects can you bring into your home that ground you?
Use your favorite places as inspiration. Reflect on how you can channel the atmospheres of your favorite places into your home. According to Vajgrt, you might reflect on how your favorite café or yoga studio evokes a sense of peace. Maybe the café has comfortable seating and the scent of sweet, strong coffee. Maybe the yoga studio diffuses calm-inducing lavender and has a minimalist esthetic.
Contain clutter with baskets and bins. The first week of online school, Travillian’s son had his schoolwork spread across three rooms. Their quick, effective fix was to put everything into one large basket, which now lives under the dining room table. “Now when he is done he packs it up and the mess is gone!”
Have 5-minute decluttering sessions. “Clearing the clutter from your kitchen, office, or other places you spend a lot of time in will not only make you feel better and freer but more in control of our crummy circumstances,” said Gartman. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, set a timer for 5 minutes every day. For example, toss expired spices or organize your kitchen utensils, she said.
https://psychcentral.com/blog/simple-ways-to-make-your-home-into-your-sanctuary#1
Medically reviewed by Scientific Advisory Board — Written by Margarita Tartakovsky, MS on April 16, 2020

"Finding Sanctuary in a Time of Uncertainty: Trauma Informed Response to COVID-19
Weathering this pandemic is akin to a marathon rather than a sprint. We are still in the midst of ongoing trauma and adversity and likely will be for some time. For many, the unknown that comes from the loss of the ordinary and predictable leads to dis- tress. Many families have lost wages and as their resources are shrinking their stress increases. As we draw upon theoretical underpinnings of trauma theory, we recognize that trauma pulls us out of our rational prefrontal cortex and activates our primi- tive survival brain that serves to keep us safe when threat is detected. Thus it is common and expected that we develop increased levels of discomfort, anxiety, fear, detachment, help- lessness, and hypervigilance in response to this pandemic. These are all normal responses to the abnormal state we are in. These responses should not be seen as a signal that something is wrong with us, but rather as a natural response to what is hap- pening to us and around us.
The Seven Commitments of the Sanctuary Model are: Nonviolence/Safety, Emotional Intelligence, Social Learning, Democracy, Open Communication, Social Responsibility, and Growth & Change. The Sanctuary Institute teaches that ‘change is loss,’ and we are all mourning a variety of losses – the loss of freedom, income, connections, relationships, routine, pre- dictability and the ordinary—to name a few. Yet, as we lean in and apply the Sanctuary Commitments, we are able to evaluate our current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and begin to focus on the future and experience growth and hope

Many have already demonstrated a commitment to Nonviolence/Safety by adhering to the social distancing guide- lines set forth by public health experts and elected officials in order to slow the spread of the virus and to keep each other and those most vulnerable safe. Maintaining our physical distance can certainly disrupt our social relationships and connections with others which are also critical for our sense of safety. We are social beings and our natural sense of safety comes from con- nections with other human beings. Maintaining healthy attach- ment relationships and social connections while responsibly maintaining our physical distance is critical during the days, weeks, and possibly months ahead.
Social distancing is an important part of our collective Social Responsibility – which recognizes that each person’s actions have an impact on others and therefore requires individual responsibility for our actions.
"
https://www.wmpc.care/finding-sanctuary-in-a-time-of-uncertainty-trauma-informed-response-to-covid-19/
Kristyn Peck, MSW & Brad VanDenend, LMSW

"
This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Terumah (Ex. 25:1-27:19), details the building of the mishkan, the Israelites’ portable sanctuary. God tells Moses to take donations for the endeavor – from kol ish asher yideinu libo- from every person whose heart so moved them. Moses is instructed to solicit gifts of: Gold, silver, copper, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins, dolphin skins and acacia wood, oil for lighting and anointing, spices, and incense, lapis lazuli and other precious stones
all to make an appropriate dwelling place for God. Va’Asu Li Mikdash V’shachanti b’tocham (Ex 25:8) And let them make Me a mikdash, A holy dwelling place, a sanctuary, So that I might dwell b’tocham. B’tocham, usually translated as “among them” Could also mean “inside of them”. And this latter meaning is the one –I wish to impart to you tonight.
We must make ourselves a holy dwelling place for God. How can we do so? It’s not with gold or silver, or wood or skins, Rather it is with the giving hearts – that inspired the Israelites to donate –their most precious possessions –
for the sake of the community.
Yesterday was the 7^th of Adar, The date traditionally associated with –The birth and death of Moses. In remembrance of our teacher, the date has taken on new meaning. The 7^th of Adar is now also the day – Which we honor our communities’ burial societies – The chevreh kaddisha. We do so because when Moses died, God was the one to bury him. To this day we call the mitzvot associated – with death and burial, Chesed shel emet - True kindness.
Chesed shel emet, because there is no expectation – That the other person will be able to pay you back. Chesed shel emet, true kindness, is how we cultivate in ourselves – a fitting dwelling place for God. However, it doesn’t need to be delayed until another’s death. We can offer true kindness in our lives –by simply giving from our hearts when we are so moved –just as the Israelites were instructed to in the parsha.
Next week, when we celebrate Purim, We have two mitzvot that give us opportunities – to practice this sort of kindness. Mishloach Manot, gifts we give to our friends, And Matanot l’evyonim, gifts we give to the poor. Maimonides advises us that –we should spend more on gifts to the poor. We are also taught that monies set aside for Matanot l’evyonim Must be entirely used up on Purim, And that they must be distinct from – the money we usually give to tzedakah. This is chesed shel emet, When Adar begins, And joy increases, We must spread that joy. Among our friends as well as – among those less fortunate souls in our community . Only then will we become fitting dwelling places for God. Only when we practice true kindness for –our fellow human beings."
Rabbi Preston Neimiser

"I've been sitting with this simple but super deep thought that Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg writes in his commentary Haktav Vehakabalah on the second verse of the parasha:
כשהמקבל אדם חשוב, אז נחשב הנותן כמקבל
“When the recipient is an important person, then the giver is like a recipient”
Benji Forester, rabbinical student JTS

"You can bring HaShem with you wherever you go. God is portable, wherever you are headed, S/he can come with you."
Miri Furst-Homa, LMSW

"It is no mistake that our Torah places the responsibility of the construction of the Tabernacle in the hands of a pair of artisans, Betzalel and Ohaliav. It takes two to manifest the divine.
Even the materials we learn about in Parshat Terumah teach this valuable lesson. Our Rabbis learn the prohibitions of Shabbat from the building of the Mishkan. In describing the prohibition of writing on Shabbat which specifies the connecting of two letters - the great commentator Rashi teaches this is because in the Mishkan each panel of that made up the outermost boundary of the space had a letter and a corresponding zug, partner. Just like ikea directions, the Israelites would reconstruct the Mishkan perfectly at each stop by aligning panels with their partnering letter. “And let them make for me a sacred space and I will dwell amidst them”.
After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Rabbis of Talmud teach in several places that if even two people sit together and study Torah together- it is like the Shechinah dwells between them. “And let them make for me a sacred space and I will dwell amidst them”.
Growing up in Northern California, I was constantly surrounded by what famed naturalist John Muir described as “G-d’s first temple”- the rolling hills and endless groves of tree-tops. In fact the very first place I ever felt G-d was hidden in the shadows of giant redwood trees in the groves of Northern California. One of the incredible things about Redwoods is that they grow in tightly wound circles with one another called “fairy rings”. This happens when small seedlings work together with one another and most importantly with an older tree, sharing nutrients through an interconnected roots system. “Let them make for me a sacred space and I will dwell amidst them”.
Jackson Mercer, rabbinical student Hebrew College

"
Why was the Mishkahn built? According to our Torah, "V’a’su li mikdash v’sha-chanti b’tocham" "Build for Me a Sanctuary that I,” God, “may dwell among them.” It says “them,” meaning that God may dwell among the people, rather than “it”- the Sanctuary. According to Cantor Julie Cadrain, “This is the idea that God isn't contained within any particular physical space, but rather exists in the spaces between people and in the relationships we have with each other.”

Why does holiness exist in the relationships that we have with one another? Holiness exists between us because, I believe, that is where love can be found. I think that God dwelled in the tent-like Mishkahn not because it was built for God, but because it was built out of the loving generosity of the community for the community. Our Torah portion states that every person whose heart is moved, should contribute to the building of Mishkahn. Our tradition teaches that this holy sanctuary was created through the love of our ancestors.
God dwells in love, and love dwells within this community. Spaces incubate holiness. However, they do so because of the people who bring it there[,] because holiness exists within the spaces between people.
"God isn’t contained within any particular physical space, but rather exists in the spaces between people and in the relationships that we have with each other.” "V’a’su li mikdash v’sha-chanti b’tocham" "Build for Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” "Build for Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them.”
Rabbi Josh Gischner

"Nothing moves
we live afraid
These (our) ancestors' hearts
are the gifts
g-d gave
you don't have to offer anything
to offer Everything"
Devon Spier, poet and rabbinical student Academy for Jewish Religion

"Rabbi Sacks points out that up to this point in the story of the Exodus, God had done almost everything for the people Israel, from freeing them, to parting the sea, to providing food and water. Now, at this point in the development of the people Israel, they are mature enough to give back to God.
This therefore occurred to me:
"....in this Torah portion we see this detailed description of all the Israelites bring to the tabernacle. This long and overwhelming list of ways to give makes it seem that there has been a pent-up energy to reciprocate what the Israelites have received. And thus from dolphin skins to decorate the mishkan to the menorah of pure gold, they fulfill this holy and fundamental obligation to give back, to offer gifts. "
George Altshuler, rabbinical student HUC-JIR

"I enjoy exploring the juxtaposition between the compulsory command to give a terumah but to get it from those whose hearts move them to generosity—if they want to why is it mandatory, and vice versa?"
Cantor Jacob Sandler

D'var Torah & Musical Drash on Sanctuar‪y‬
"Perhaps, the project of building the mikdash was a means by which God encouraged us to coallesce as a society. it provided the people a common goal around which to rally so that each individual, indeed created btzelem elohim, could tap into their unique and divine spark and therefor offer those gifts for the good of the people."
Copy and paste the link below to listen to full podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kol-jeshurun/id1544853311?i=1000509942715&fbclid=IwAR26tUFazgAmHAwK81n-T0a87fWb5we-QTq1ZikBuVGxKH8fpurbyZ83ORI
Cantor Emma Lutz & Cantor Lucy B. Fishbein

Concluding questions / take aways to consider:
1. What purpose does sanctuary serve?
2. What can we learn from the mishkan as an effort of the collective? How can we model this collective action in our community building today?
3. What does it mean to crowd-source sanctuary in a time in which we cannot be together ? What can the balance of individual & collective responsibility in this portion teach us about getting through our current circumstances?