And you shall make the altar of acacia wood… (exodus 27:1)
There are many ways to build a synagogue. One is, of course, as our Portion this week details, T’rumah, the wood and details used for an altar and a sanctuary. One, that is so much harder to gauge and design is the mood, intention and vision of a synagogue community.
Gazing on our ark as we do every shabbat, the physical details of our sanctuary and its power to uplift and concentrate the mind is important. So is what we do inside and with our community.
This week is our Listening Campaign. This is an opportunity to talk about issues that concern fellow Londoners, possibly us. We will take every opportunity this week and coming Shabbat to listen to each other and form a sense of what matters most to us as a congregation right now. We hope to bring those concerns to the Mayoral Assembly 2020 and this is the start of gauging what matters to us, what we care most about.
Siddur Lev Chadash contains these words ‘May the door of this synagogue be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity…. May this Synagogue be, for all who enter, the doorway leading to a richer and more meaningful life.’ (Mishkan Tefillah).
Please join us particularly at Learn at 12 noon on Thursday and/or Shabbat services and Cafe Ivriah this weekend to talk and listen and combine the beautifying of our sanctuary with those of our hearts as well.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Rebecca
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