From a teacher at JCDSRI - Fall 2010
Upon completion of 4 year steel installation
In the book of Sh’mot –Exodus-- we read the description of the building of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary that the Israelites carried through the desert. It was the most sacred item that the Israelites had, and it served as a tangible focus for them, translating God’s presence in the center of the Israelites into an actual structure – the Mishkan. We read in Sh’mot 35:31 that to create this structure God קרא בשם – “called by name” or “singled out” Betzalel, and imbued him with the special qualities needed for this task.
וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱ-לֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה
“God endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of workmanship, and inspired him to make designs for work in gold, silver and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood to work in every kind of designer’s craft and to give directions.”
For us at JCDS, you, Laura Mernoff have been our Betzalel. You are the artistic force and designer of so many items that have made JCDS appropriate for the sacred work of bringing the message of Torah to life in creative and unique ways. To list just a few – you had a major hand in the creation of this sukkah, the garden, the wall that we see here, the storage bin across the way. You created the entire city of Shushan in our Lobby for Purim, you told the history of our school so simply yet so artistically on the wall of the Lobby, you involved the students in making the tiles that surround our door, and, of course, my favorite, you created the Abbey Road backdrop and almost “real live Beatles” for “Beatle Torah.” You have the special qualities captured in the Torah’s description of Betzalel. You are filled with these qualities, and we are blessed that you have dedicated your many talents so generously with us over the years.
And now to our present focus: the fence that we are dedicating today. Here’s where we can really begin to appreciate Laura’s unique talents. Many of us have strong verbal skills, and can describe concepts by using words, but who but Laura Mernoff could figure out how to translate the abstract concepts which are the main principles of our Jewish Community Day School into concrete – or should I say metal -- visual representations? Try it for yourself, how would you represent each of these main principles of our school visually:
· Klal Yisrael – Inclusivity – the community of and for ALL Jews, respecting diversity and difference between the students and families.
· Kehilah – Community – a strong sense of community and care that can serve as a model for our students
· Neshamah – The Soul, the Individual – with a focus on educating our students to be better human beings with a strong sense of Jewish identity and broad knowledge of the world around…and
· Da’at – Knowledge, Wisdom – excellence in teaching and learning.
Pretty easy to do, right?
-- Oh, and did I mention that you have to do this in an enduring medium that will be able to stand up to the elements.
-- And one more thing, it would be great if you could involve the students themselves in part of the process.
Well, with great thought and planning added to her immeasurable talents Laura has managed to do just that – and the final product is here before us! Complete with Hebrew lettering in that easiest of all media – metal!
A Midrash tells us that when Moshe relayed to Betzalel God’s directions for making the Mishkan, Moshe, inadvertently, it seems, reversed the order of how to proceed. When Betzalel respectfully corrected Moshe, Moshe exclaimed – you are indeed Betzalel – בצל א-ל “b’tzel” (in the shadow of) “El” (God). You are in the shadow of God. Meaning, you are so close to God that you know what God wants, without my having to direct you step by step.
So it is with you, Laura. You are imbued with unending creative talents. You don’t wait for a mandate, your creative juices are free-flowing. You have the vision of the way to go and, as with Betzalel, what you create is Divine – with a capital “D!”
Laura, we can only hope that you continue to share your creative talents with us for many years to come. And to celebrate, let’s all join together in the sheheheyanu b’rakhah, as on the final panel.
וַיְמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱ-לֹהִים בְּחָכְמָה בִּתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכָל מְלָאכָה
“God endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of workmanship, and inspired him to make designs for work in gold, silver and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood to work in every kind of designer’s craft and to give directions.”
For us at JCDS, you, Laura Mernoff have been our Betzalel. You are the artistic force and designer of so many items that have made JCDS appropriate for the sacred work of bringing the message of Torah to life in creative and unique ways. To list just a few – you had a major hand in the creation of this sukkah, the garden, the wall that we see here, the storage bin across the way. You created the entire city of Shushan in our Lobby for Purim, you told the history of our school so simply yet so artistically on the wall of the Lobby, you involved the students in making the tiles that surround our door, and, of course, my favorite, you created the Abbey Road backdrop and almost “real live Beatles” for “Beatle Torah.” You have the special qualities captured in the Torah’s description of Betzalel. You are filled with these qualities, and we are blessed that you have dedicated your many talents so generously with us over the years.
And now to our present focus: the fence that we are dedicating today. Here’s where we can really begin to appreciate Laura’s unique talents. Many of us have strong verbal skills, and can describe concepts by using words, but who but Laura Mernoff could figure out how to translate the abstract concepts which are the main principles of our Jewish Community Day School into concrete – or should I say metal -- visual representations? Try it for yourself, how would you represent each of these main principles of our school visually:
· Klal Yisrael – Inclusivity – the community of and for ALL Jews, respecting diversity and difference between the students and families.
· Kehilah – Community – a strong sense of community and care that can serve as a model for our students
· Neshamah – The Soul, the Individual – with a focus on educating our students to be better human beings with a strong sense of Jewish identity and broad knowledge of the world around…and
· Da’at – Knowledge, Wisdom – excellence in teaching and learning.
Pretty easy to do, right?
-- Oh, and did I mention that you have to do this in an enduring medium that will be able to stand up to the elements.
-- And one more thing, it would be great if you could involve the students themselves in part of the process.
Well, with great thought and planning added to her immeasurable talents Laura has managed to do just that – and the final product is here before us! Complete with Hebrew lettering in that easiest of all media – metal!
A Midrash tells us that when Moshe relayed to Betzalel God’s directions for making the Mishkan, Moshe, inadvertently, it seems, reversed the order of how to proceed. When Betzalel respectfully corrected Moshe, Moshe exclaimed – you are indeed Betzalel – בצל א-ל “b’tzel” (in the shadow of) “El” (God). You are in the shadow of God. Meaning, you are so close to God that you know what God wants, without my having to direct you step by step.
So it is with you, Laura. You are imbued with unending creative talents. You don’t wait for a mandate, your creative juices are free-flowing. You have the vision of the way to go and, as with Betzalel, what you create is Divine – with a capital “D!”
Laura, we can only hope that you continue to share your creative talents with us for many years to come. And to celebrate, let’s all join together in the sheheheyanu b’rakhah, as on the final panel.
