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May
There Be Shalom Within Our Walls
by
Rabbi David Zaslow
Let
Them Make Me A Sanctuary
Dedication: June 9, 2002
 In
Hebrew there is a kind of doing called ta'aseh
which is the active verb for “you will do.” Then
there is the passive tay'aseh which
is the passive verb of doing which does itself. Toward the
end of the book of Exodus the Torah speaks of the creative
work of an artist named Betzalel whose God inspired creations
designing and decorating the mishkan (the tabernacle) flowed
through him so that it seemed to do itself.
From
the purchase of our land and building in 1998 to the construction
of our new sanctuary and school the work seems to have done
itself at the Havurah. We are blessed to be in such a loving
and supportive community and to have such supportive friends
like you.
We
are thankful to our general contractor John Schleining for
his support and oversight of our project. We are thankful
to David Meltzer, our incredible building contractor. We are
thankful to our architect Robb Saladoff for his amazing integrative
design. We are thankful to Joys Fox-Dresner and Adam Fox for
their beautiful interior/exterior design and decor. Thank
you to Hal Dresner who helped supervise the construction.
And we thank God for all the blessings that we have.
 In
Exodus 25:8 it is written,“And let them make Me a sanctuary
so I may dwell among them.” The holy Rebbe, Menachem
Mendel of Kotzk wonders why it was written “..dwell among
them.” The proper grammar should state that if the sanctuary
is built, God will dwell “in it.”
But
no, the Rebbe explains, God does not need a sanctuary to dwell
within, God needs us. We are God’s dwelling place, not
the building. This idea leads us to an even more sublime way
of translating the words, “And let them make Me a sanctuary....”
The Kotzker teaches us that on a deeper level God is saying
“make Me” your sanctuary, not the building, but
“Me.”
So,
on this special day when we are gathered to dedicate a new
sanctuary and school for the Havurah we ask that God should
bless us with the wisdom to remember that all of this is not
about physical objects, rituals, or a building fund. It’s
about you and me and everyone who enters this sacred space.
It’s not about fundraising, it’s about soul-raising.
It’s about gratitude to each other and to our Creator.
Richard
Jarel, Avinoam Zohar,
Kevin Christman, & Karen Bates:
The Ark, The Eternal Light, The Window, and Wings of Fabric
 The
greatest gifts of “work which did itself”came from
master artists Richard Jarel, Avinoam Zohar, Kevin Christman,
and Karen Bates. The Havurah is indebted to each of them for
their masterful contributions that will impact thousands of
souls over hundreds of years. Kevin donated almost all his
labor (we comissioned a 75 piece window and he delivered a
300 piece window). As you can see his work is astounding.
For
the past four years the inspired work of Avinaom Zohar has
graced the Havurah. From the mezuzzah on our front door to
the eternal light he made for us, his work is an act of prayer
and is inspired by Hashem.
For
Richard Jarel this project has also been an act of prayer.
Richard has donated the Torah ark to the Havurah as a memorial
to his father and as his gift to Judaism. It was the purest
offering to God imaginable and to the memory of his father,
Juventino Aldo Jarel. The cherry wood he selected will change
color over the years, just as our perceptions of the ark’s
design will change in our minds.
Surrounding
the stain-glass window and the ark are six fabric wings by
master fabric artist Karen Bates. The six wings represent
the days of the week that surround the ark which is Shabbat.
Not only does the fabric soften the glass and woodwork, but
it seems to give the whole front of the sanctuary a feeling
of flight.
The
Havurah also wishes to thank Jerry and Donnis Lausmann whose
generous donation make possible the purchase of all the materials
used in the ark, and for the materials that will be used in
the coming year for our Torah table and podium. May God bless
them both for the unconditional love they bring to the Jewish
people.
This
is no ordinary cabinet, light fixture, stained glass window,
and fabric art. These are pieces designed for prayer, contemplation,
and meditation, and created with extraordinary love for Judaism
and for Hashem.
May
There Be Peace Within Your Walls:
Words from the Artists
Richard
Jarel/Torah Ark: I started designing
this Ark as my way of saying “thank you” for letting
me into you congregation. I am not "officially"
Jewish, but I have always felt more for Judaism than for any
other religion I had been exposed to. As a child, I was the
non-Jew who seemed to always get invited to Passover seder.
I was one of the four children in the Hagaddah and I took
my role seriously because I was living it. I was the one who
asked questions that could never be answered — not really.
It
wasn't until reuniting with my childhood sweetheart here in
Ashland, and being introduced to the Havurah, that I finally
felt I had found my spiritual home and began receiving some
of those answers. In November, 2001, one of those answers
led me on a search to find my father, Juventino Aldo Jarel.
On
January 2, 2002, I learned that I had missed him by two weeks.
He died before I could speak to him on December 17th. This
Ark took on a whole new meaning. My father was a fine woodworker—
a cabinetmaker by trade — and I was fortunate enough
to have worked by his side for several years: talking, laughing
and being loved. We spent more time together than any two
people did in my family. We sailed, we fished, we worked and
always, I was loved. I found a picture of him I had never
noticed before, enlarged it and hung it in my studio. From
January, 2001 until just yesterday we talked, I cried, we
laughed and I was loved.
The
real reason I couldn't deliver the ark to the Havurah before
June 9th, was that I was not ready to let go. As I begin crying
again, trying to see the letters on this keyboard, I realize
I will never be ready to let go, but I know that a part of
my father will live on forever in this ark. His love—the
love that created the best of who I am—has overflowed
into the love I put into creating this sacred piece: from
where I know I will receive my answers. Thank you.
Kevin
Christman/Tree of Life Stained Glass Window: It was a
great honor for me to have been asked by Reb David to design
the stained glass window for the Havurah. I could not have
done it without Divine help. Jackie Miller was very generous
with her time, materials and tools, Rosalind Schrodt was very
kind to donate a portion of the glass, Neo-Glassic was very
patient to answer questions from a stained glass neophyte,
and my wife Marla was always there to give insights and a
helping hand.
In
a certain way the window made itself. This was the first time
that I have seen stained glass being done, so it was a very
interesting process to watch, especially since I was the one
doing the work. There were many bits of information that appeared
in front of me just when I needed them. A book would open
to the right page to reveal a crucial bit of information that
I needed at that moment, any suggestion from a friend was
a voice from the ether and the many strange coincidences were
taken as reassurances.
It
is an honor to have been the hands that made a work of art
for the Havurah that will serve as a point of reflection,
meditation and inspiration. Thank You.
Karen
Bates/Eastern Wall Fiber Art: I am a shy person by nature.
I am not the one leading the dancing or playing the drums.
My connection with Judaism is a personal one. I davven under
my tallis, in front of my flowers in my backyard. I find God
in the trees, the water and the wind. So, how do I share my
feelings with the community? My voice to god comes through
my art I sing out loud with my fabrics. I dance with my needle
and thread.
These
wall hangings were designed to express my relationship with
God. The lines radiate down from the heavens, while reaching
up to God at the same time. They wrap themselves around the
ark, cradling the Torah in their warmth. The lines also reflect
the paths of our own lives, flowing from one experience to
the next. The separation of the panels symbolizes the disturbances
in our lives, while the continuation of the lines from one
panel to the next symbolizes the wholeness we find when our
lives are filled with God.
Rebecca
Gabriel Bornstein/Western Wall “Roots” Painting:
It is an honor for me to have my painting "Roots"
on extended loan in the new Havurah sanctuary. It is a spiritual
work and evokes the depth and Shechinah of Judaism. The endurance
of the tree, it's thirst and growth, its strength and, yes,
even it's unintentional secondary imagery of bones; all this
speaks to the soul and mystery of our people and our faith.
It has been said to, "Give our children roots and wings."
And so it is my hope, that my painting will communicate some
of the power and complexity of who we are, and our deep and
enduring Jewish roots.
Psalm
122
I
was joyous when they said to me,
“To the house of Adonai let us go.
Our feet will stand inside your gates Jerusalem!”
Jerusalem is built as a city to be unified in purpose.
There the tribes go up, the tribes of Yah,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks in the name of Shekhinah.
For seats of awareness were set there,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem —
those who love her shall prosper.
May
their be Shalom within our walls—Amayn!
and security for all our special places—Amayn!
Because
of my brothers and friends,
Because of my sisters and friends—
please let me ask, please let me say, “Peace to you.
This is the house, the house of the Hashem,
I wish the best to you!”
King
David’s “Reaching Up Song” That will spiritually
link the Havurah
to
the Holy City of Jerusalem when read aloud by 100 people filled
with joy
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