03/13/2026
We have a double Torah portion this week - Parashat Vayakhel and Parashat Pekudei. Moses requests for the people to bring the "stuff" needed to make the Mishkan. Eventually, so much was brought that Moses had to declare "Not a single man or woman should make further effort toward gifts for the sanctuary!" (Exodus 36:6) The instructions for building the Mishkan are very specific. Every single piece of metal, thread, wood, etc. was accounted for and an explanation was given as to how they should be put together.
Throughout this Torah portion, we find the word Adanim (sockets). It appears in the singular and plural tenses, and in many other forms. There are all kinds of sockets used. What do sockets have to do with us? Well, when the Mishkan was being built, silver sockets - Ad'nei Kesef - were used as a base to hold the boards of the Mishkan. In today's world, when we are surrounded by what seems like never ending challenges, we must look inward and outward for a source of Ad'nei Kesef. We must be these silver sockets - acting as leaders of our communities to keep us afloat. However, it is not only upon us. We must look outward to others who will need to help us. We cannot serve as Ad'nei Kesef alone.
While I was heading to the Orlando airport to pick up my sister yesterday, the president of my congregation contacted me to let me know another terrorist attack had occurred. This time, however, it was different. This was Temple Israel of West Bloomfield - a northern suburb of Detroit, Michigan: the largest Jewish congregation in North America...a Reform congregation. And, one of the rabbis there - Rabbi Jen Lader - is a friend, a classmate and a colleague. We were ordained together. I have known Rabbi Lader for almost 20 years. As I was sure Jen (and all of her fellow TI clergy) was overwhelmed with what was going on, I reached out with zero expectation of hearing a response. I just wanted her and her congregation to know I was praying for their safety and an end to whatever was going on.
Thank God no one was killed (except the shooter/driver). One of the security guards was injured. However, he is expected to make a full recovery. Most importantly, though, no children were harmed physically. It is not clear if any of the kids that were in the school at the time are aware of what happened, as the staff and security of the Temple made sure to shield the children as much as possible, surely preventing what could have been a much bigger tragedy.
Why? Why? Why? This is what I keep thinking. Why does this keep happening? It is not just in America. We are receiving news way too often of these kinds of attacks happening in countries all over the world. It is easy to just throw my hands in the air and say, "Well, people have always hated Jews...why is today any different?" Truth is - it seems so much more personal and worse today than I can ever remember.
It is not just Israel. It is not just America. It is not just Europe. It is not just Australia. It is not just the Middle East. It seems that these kinds of behaviors - the hating of the other (with Jews as a primary target) - are normalized or have become normalized. Why have people forgotten we are all human? Why must we continue to look at our differences as a bad thing? EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE WORLD HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST PEACEFULLY...EACH OF US HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO EACH OTHER. Those two sentences are so simple...and yes, we seem to forget, don't we?
Getting back to the Torah - where are the Ad'nei Kesef today? Who are they? Our world seems to be incredibly fragile right now. We need the types of leaders who will look forward while keeping their eye on history as well. We simply cannot do anything less. Another friend and colleague, Rabbi Josh Weinberg wrote the following today in response to the attack in Michigan:
"Please stop shooting at synagogues and taking your anger out on the Jews. Thank you.
In the past week alone, five synagogues have been targeted in attacks, including yesterday’s assault on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, outside Detroit. Jewish communities across the country are shaken, frightened, and exhausted. Once again, we find ourselves repeating a basic plea that should not have to be said in the twenty-first century: Jewish houses of worship are not legitimate targets for anyone’s anger, grievance, or political protest."
I highly recommend reading the rest of his post:https://arza.org/stop-shooting-at-synagogues/?interests=israel&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3/13/2026__EmailJobID-9425073___
The Jewish people have always been resilient. That is one of the primary reasons we are still here. We will go to our Synagogues this Shabbat and pray for the health, safety and future for all people...Jews and non-Jews alike. This is what we do. We do not stop. We will not stop. Jews are the "Kings and Queens" of getting up, dusting ourselves off and getting right back at it. We will NOT turn away from even those who hate us. We just want to finally get to a world where we no longer have to ask, "Why do you hate us?"
