Terumah, Exodus 25:1-27:19, Parshat Hashavua for Shabbat, February 25, 2023
Generosity has documented health benefits. According to researchers, generous behavior lowers blood pressure, releases “feel-good” endorphins that make us happier, lowers stress, improves our relationships, and helps us live longer. With all these benefits, it’s surprising that more people don’t practice generosity. In this week’s Torah portion we begin the process of building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, in which God’s presence dwelt in the midst of the Israelite camp. God directs Moses, “Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart is so moved.” (Exodus 25:2) Commenting on this verse, Sforno (Italy, b. approx. 1470, d. 1550) wrote, “G’d commanded that the procedure should not be like the imposition of every man’s contribution for the public charity fund which was treated as a tax. Contributions were to be accepted only from volunteers.” God does not want people to give grudgingly or out of obligation, but freely, from the heart. In other words, out of generosity. Perhaps God knew that generosity was the key to health, happiness, and good relationships. It wasn’t enough to build the Mishkan, it had to be built with the right spirit, with an open heart. Imagine what our society would be like if all of us participated in our political and public life with a spirit of open heartedness and generosity. Perhaps we would all be happier and solve more of our problems.
From the Presidents – March 2, 2023
March 2, 2023 by tbhrich • president
Shalom Everyone!
A new month is almost upon us and with it the next great holiday on the Jewish calendar: Purim. Certainly one of the most festive holidays, Purim is the time when Jews around the world let down their guards to eat, drink, dance, and dress up. Or as my old college roommate described it to me, in his interpretation, it was the one time of the year when Jews were required to get drunk! And yet, Purim also symbolizes a time when the illogical can appear logical and vice versa. It requires us to reexamine our perspectives and look at the world from a different angle. By doing so, we could potentially find a solution to a problem that has eluded us, make a big decision we were stuck on before, or come to a realization about ourselves we had never considered. This Chag Purim, therefore, we encourage all of you to approach a part of your life from a different perspective and see emerges. Just like the revelations of Purim, you may be surprised at the result!
In keeping with the theme of Purim, we are thrilled to announce that this Sunday, March 5, will be the revival of our traditional Purim Carnival. It will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be games, a bouncy house for the kids, songs, and a bake sale. In order for the event to be as exciting as possible, we still need your help! We are looking for volunteers to help with clean-up, selling baked goods, and especially running the game booths. The Temple Beth Hillel Board will be volunteering as well. Below you can find the link to sign up as a volunteer for the task you feel will contribute the most to the success of the event. Let’s all make this Purim an event to remember!
Sign up now to volunteer for the Purim Carnival!
Looking ahead, this year’s Passover Seder will be held on Saturday, April 8. Please help spread the word and invite family and friends to our revitalized Seder at the Temple.
In addition, please consider joining the Temple Beth Hillel Board of Directors next year. Our Board is always on the lookout for members who have ideas for the future of the temple and the ability to carry out that vision. You can reach out to us or any Board member when you are interested.
Finally, the next Shabbat Service will be held this Friday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. Come worship with our community and as a bonus learn some Purim songs from Rabbi Dean and Cantor Marney! Also, Family Shabbat will be held two weeks later on Friday, March 17, at 6:15 p.m. There will also be Torah study on Saturday at 10:15 a.m., which will be in-person and on Zoom. And those who wish to join Tefillah services at the Religious School are welcome starting at 9:30 a.m on Sundays. Thanks everyone!
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel
~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel