One of the guiding principles of the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education states that the environment serves as the third teacher in the education of a child. In conjunction with the child's parents and teachers, the learning environment plays a critical role in the child's acquisition of skills and knowledge and his or her development of character. This week' parashah offers a lesson in the importance of physical space on the growth and psyche of Bnei Yisrael. The Torah describes with spectacular and intricate detail the construction and the furnishings of the Tabernacle in the desert. The Ramban (Nachmanides) notes that the instructions for how to build the portable sanctuary that accompanies the Israelites on their sojourn in the wilderness follow immediately after the revelation and giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. The juxtaposition of these two critical moments in Jewish history represents the relationship between the Torah and the Tabernacle. The structure, in the midst of the Israelite camp, continued to broadcast God's word throughout the people. It brought the ideas and instruction of the Torah from on high-literally from the peak of a mountain-and ensured that Torah became the centerpiece of our people, on the ground, in the trenches, and through the desert. God's teachings accompany and guide us continually, a physical manifestation of our spiritual commitment to the world. Given such lofty purpose, it makes sense that every piece of fabric and every precious metal is infused with meaning and intention. The layout of the Tabernacle intentionally graduated in levels of holiness, with the center being the most sacred. The design of each of the holy vessels used for service in the Tabernacle communicates purpose. And the placement of the items-the ark, the menorah, the table for the loaves of showbread-intends to recall the furnishings of a home, a place of warmth and connection, nourishment and shelter. The blueprint that the Torah provides for building this spiritual home belies construction logic. Rather than starting with the exterior walls and completing the construction internally afterwards, the Tabernacle construction begins with the Aron HaKodesh, the Ark of the Covenant, first and progresses outward from the middle. Torah is first and foremost at the center of who and what we are as a people; Torah is our start and it is central to our home.

On the Schultz Rosenberg Campus, we are blessed with a physical environment replete with intention and thought. A beit midrash, both a chapel for tefillah and a place of learning, stands at the physical center of our campus, similar to the position of the Tabernacle in the Israelite encampment. Visitors to campus are also enveloped in the aura of Israel through our Jerusalem-esque architecture and Israeli flora. By immersing everyone on campus in our environment, the physical space both teaches and reinforces our core values, working in tandem with our educators, to deliver the mission of Akiba-and of the Jewish People.