TORAH PORTION
DAVVAM
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Creating A Home
For The 'Awesome' Shabbat Terumah:
Exodus 25:1-27:19; 1 Kings 5:26-6:13.
H
ave you ever asked a child or
reminded of God's nearness.
teenager to explain what was
And, if Sinai alone were not enough
so "amazing" about camp or
for our ancestors to remember their
Israel? Have you watched them trip over connection to God, certainly camp or
their words as they fight back tears in
Israel is not enough for our children to
trying to tell an adult who "just wouldn't maintain their connections either.
understand" why it was so "awesome"?
Studies indicate that few experiences
Home And Synagogue
can better ensure that a Jewish child
The Talmud tells us that, since the
will grow up to lead a Jewish life than
destruction of the Temple, we are
Jewish summer camp or a peer-based
required to create our own mikdash
extended trip to Israel.
me'at (little sanctuary). Both in the
Jewish camping and Israel trips offer
synagogue and in the Jewish home,
our youngsters opportunities not only
we must provide experiences for our
to develop lasting friend-
children that remind them
ships with other Jewish
of their connection to God
children, but also provide
and Judaism.
a chance to engage God
Moreover, we must allow
and Judaism through emo-
our children to contribute
tional prayer services and
to the creation of their own
meaningful moments of
experiences, like our ances-
study, through challenging
tors who brought forth
physical environments and
terumah after Sinai: mean-
serene vistas of beauty.
ingful prayer services; effec-
Once campers or Israel-
tive social action opportuni-
trip participants return
ties; engaging moments of
Rabbi Aaron
from their mountaintop
study; the holiness of Shabbat
Starr
experience, it is up to their
and holidays.
Special to the
synagogues and families to
Jewish camping and Israel
Jewish News
ensure that the emotional
trips provide our children
connections and intellectual stimuli
with mountaintop experiences. Yet, we
remain active and significant.
adults must remember to encourage
We find no greater proof for the
and to help our children make sanctu-
continuing obligation of adults toward
aries for themselves upon their return
excited Jewish youth than this week's
so that, again, God may dwell among
Torah portion, Terumah. The Israelites
them.
just experienced revelation on Sinai.
If done correctly, by the way, we, too,
There at the foot of that mountain, we
will more closely feel God dwelling
were more aware of God's nearness than among us as well. I
at any other time in our people's history.
But then we had to, um, leave! The jour- Aaron Starr is the director of lifelong
ney had to continue.
learning at Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy.
Like a child leaving camp or Israel,
the peak intensity of the experience
could not last forever. Recognizing this,
God commands Moses to instruct our
Conversations
ancestors to build a tabernacle with
What are you doing to encour-
gifts (terumah) from "every person
age the children in your family
whose heart so moves him ... Let them
to attend Jewish camp or to
make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell
travel to Israel (like Federation's
among them" (Exodus 25).
Miracle Mission for Teens this
God recognized that the Sinaitic
summer!)? How can you facili-
encounter was not enough for our
tate children's involvement in
ancestors to continue a lasting rela-
your Shabbat traditions or in
tionship with our Creator; rather, a
your synagogue? What do you
vehicle for encountering God (first the
do to remind yourself of God's
Tabernacle then the Holy Temple) must
presence in your life?
exist so that we as a people may be ever
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February 7 • 2008
A31