Parashat Terumah, in its extensive detailing of the design plans for the mishkan – the micro-dwelling for divinity on Earth – is said to be a mirror of the story of creation. It is this mirroring that I spoke of on Wednesday as I addressed the 200+ folks gathered for the first Jews & Allies Lobby Day for Peace in Olympia, WA. While this effort was targeted by some to attempt to marginalize our voices, it was affirming, hopeful, and a showing of collective strength and power to be among us who take a day away from our routines to stand up for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, genocide education in Washington K-12 schools that is written and consulted with the communities who were directly impacted in those genocides, and asking for a commitment against antisemitism through tools such as the Jerusalem Declaration, Diaspora Alliance, and Nexus.
Here is what I told those of us gathered:
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Good morning! Thank you to all the organizers who made this day happen and gave us all a way to channel our grief, our sorrow, our despair, our outrage, and yes, our hope into action today here on Squaxin Island Tribal land. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I am here to hold up a mirror for us each. A mirror that does not distort nor falsely judge. Does not assume or presume. Does not invalidate nor marginalize. It is a mirror of our ancestors and our teachers and it is the mirror of our students and descendants. It is the mirror of those who are in Rafah and those that have fled Rafah, including the kindergarten teacher I spoke to this week now in Cairo whose school was bombed last week. It is the mirror of sacred Jewish values: of the sanctity of life and the practice of tochecha and teshuvah – that we must call out injustice and call in our siblings and family defending it and encouraging it. It is the mirror of repair and all its abolitionist possibilities – that we can stop that which is hurtful, that which is wrong, and make reparations and come back to what is right and whole and good.
It is the mirror of return. Return to our basic humanity. Return to each other. And our ability to ask even those in elected office – even when we already have, time after time – to do the same.
As we move out throughout today to do the holy work of building places of divine possibility and presence in these political chambers, remember how beautiful and splendid we can be when we behold ourselves through this reflection.
N’varech et major chayeinu ru’ach ho’aolam ozer yisrael bigvurah
N’varech et major chayeinu ru’ach ha’olam oter yisrael b’tifarah
Let us bring blessing to the fount of life, providing spirit in this world who girds our people with courage and crowns us with gorgeousness.
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The parasha reminds us that the mishkan – literally “place of divine dwelling” – is only created when the whole community contributes (the translation of the word terumah) what they can to build it. It is only fully build when we all contribute. And so we keep building. And keep contributing. What we can…and what we can stretch to while staying well…and not more.
Let us reflect this generosity of spirit (nadiv lev) in the work we do for ceasefire, for community care and mutual aid, and for ensuring that the world around us goes as well as it can.
With gratitude for all the work you are doing,
R’ David
Here is what I told those of us gathered:
*
Good morning! Thank you to all the organizers who made this day happen and gave us all a way to channel our grief, our sorrow, our despair, our outrage, and yes, our hope into action today here on Squaxin Island Tribal land. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I am here to hold up a mirror for us each. A mirror that does not distort nor falsely judge. Does not assume or presume. Does not invalidate nor marginalize. It is a mirror of our ancestors and our teachers and it is the mirror of our students and descendants. It is the mirror of those who are in Rafah and those that have fled Rafah, including the kindergarten teacher I spoke to this week now in Cairo whose school was bombed last week. It is the mirror of sacred Jewish values: of the sanctity of life and the practice of tochecha and teshuvah – that we must call out injustice and call in our siblings and family defending it and encouraging it. It is the mirror of repair and all its abolitionist possibilities – that we can stop that which is hurtful, that which is wrong, and make reparations and come back to what is right and whole and good.
It is the mirror of return. Return to our basic humanity. Return to each other. And our ability to ask even those in elected office – even when we already have, time after time – to do the same.
As we move out throughout today to do the holy work of building places of divine possibility and presence in these political chambers, remember how beautiful and splendid we can be when we behold ourselves through this reflection.
N’varech et major chayeinu ru’ach ho’aolam ozer yisrael bigvurah
N’varech et major chayeinu ru’ach ha’olam oter yisrael b’tifarah
Let us bring blessing to the fount of life, providing spirit in this world who girds our people with courage and crowns us with gorgeousness.
*
The parasha reminds us that the mishkan – literally “place of divine dwelling” – is only created when the whole community contributes (the translation of the word terumah) what they can to build it. It is only fully build when we all contribute. And so we keep building. And keep contributing. What we can…and what we can stretch to while staying well…and not more.
Let us reflect this generosity of spirit (nadiv lev) in the work we do for ceasefire, for community care and mutual aid, and for ensuring that the world around us goes as well as it can.
With gratitude for all the work you are doing,
R’ David
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