Dear TBZ community:
At TBZ according to the Jewish calendar, we marked one year of COVID just after Purim. And today, March 12, marks one year ago when Sara Smolover, TBZ President and I sent this message to our community announcing that we were about to close our doors to community gatherings. We thought it would be only for the next two weeks.
Quickly, and without a road map — for who had been through anything like this before? — we rolled up our sleeves and found new ways to provide for each other. We shifted services and programming to Zoom. We considered, and implemented, and learned how we could connect purposefully, concretely and meaningfully even while physically separated. Board members made calls to evey one our members. Our Hesed Community created neighborhood clusters in order to reach out to every person, every household, and check in — especially with the elderly and those who lived alone. Our young people organized phone calls and matched children with elders in our community through the Kesher Hadorot program.
Exodus 35:5
קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
Take from among you gifts to the LORD; everyone whose heart so moves him shall bring them—gifts for the LORD: gold, silver, and copper;
This verse tells us that the community gathers together and is asked to sanctify time and to open their heart with generosity.
Last year I wrote: “In times of distress, fear and anxiety can be easy to close our hearts and close ourselves to others. I am inviting us, and encouraging us to let kindness, generosity of spirit and heart guide us. It won't be easy at all times, but if each of us commits to practice generosity of heart, a bit each day, we will bless others and bless ourselves with the most beautiful gift.
We don’t know yet how long this time will last in its current form. There has not been something like this in our lifetime. I know, I am humbled by this experience of trying to figure it out. I know, I am also scared and broken-hearted for the people who will suffer and are suffering. Many of us are blessed to have homes and jobs that let us work from home, that continue to provide routine, financial support and continuity. I want to encourage those of us with that privilege to recognize it and to be responsible in the use of it.”
I can write, proudly, that as a community we have been successful in this call. I have witnessed how kindness and generosity of spirit have guided so many in our community. We have been successful not only by staying spiritually connected while physically distanced, but by remaining fully committed to each other. In a way, our generosity has allowed us to build a new iteration of our mishkan, a dwelling place that as the parasha says כְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֔ה מָלֵ֖א אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן, is filled by Divine Presence.
So, what now?
Now, we begin the next transition in this journey. With the new directives of the CDC this week and the hopeful and clear message from President Biden last night, we know that soon, we will be able to slowly and responsibly enter back into communal life. At TBZ, we are again rolling up our sleeves, this time to envision purposeful, concrete and meaningful plans for safe reentry. (Stay tuned for a message on this coming soon). Perhaps the transition from the Book of Exodus that we complete today to the Book of Vayikra that we begin next week marks this transition as well.
The Book of Exodus, Shemot that we are concluding, narrates how Moses led the Israelites in building the Tabernacle. In Vayikra-Leviticus, God tells the Israelites and their priests how to make offerings in the Tabernacle and how to conduct themselves while camped around the holy tent sanctuary. If Shemot is about the process of liberation, the coming together as a people of Israel and the creation of a Mishkan, Vayikra is perhaps about how to bring about, how to act within this dwelling place.
As we begin to emerge after one year — as grandparents can hug their grandchildren, as small gatherings can be safe, as students can go back into their classrooms — how can we hold onto the good we have created over these months of COVID. How can we make this Mishkan we have created, of generosity, connection, and caring community, be a living vessel for what comes next? How can we take what we have learned, experienced, connected, and gained and bring it with us forward? How does the suffering we experienced as well as the joy that lifted us up fill our Mishkan and guide us into and through this new stage. For there is no going back to where we were a year ago — before COVID — nor should we strive for a return to only that. With renewed strength, and renewed vision, with awareness of this past year and anticipation of this coming year, there is only going forward with a renewed Mishkan filled with God's presence.
May this Shabbat bring renewal and blessings to all of you and your loved ones.
May we find strength, courage, and patience, and open our hearts with generosity.
May all those who are ill find healing.
May we have a joyful and restful Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
