This week's parsha, Vayakel, "Moses gathered," centers on putting the pieces of a broken nation back together again. Coming down the mountain to see the golden calf, we read that "Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control...". Vayakel is Moses' response to the wild abandon of the crowd and asks the Israelites to make voluntary contributions to the construction of the Tabernacle. He gets them to undertake a task that they can only achieve together, that none can do alone.

As denoted by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, "Team-building, even after a disaster like the golden calf, is neither a mystery nor a miracle. It is done by setting the group a task, one that speaks to their passions and no one subsection of the group can achieve alone. Every member of the group must make a unique contribution and then feel that it has been valued. Each must be able to say, with pride: I helped make this." Moses knew that if you want to build a team, create a team that builds.

Jewish Federation of Delaware serves as our community convener and kehillah (a group of people assembled for a given purpose). Our success is dependent on the support of our valued leadership and cadre of volunteers and donors.

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