Like the Mishkan: Building Something Holy Together
One of the great privileges of working in a school is watching children discover their strengths whether in the classroom, on the playground, through creativity, or in acts of kindness. When reading Parshiyot Vayakhel and Pekudei, I think about the idea that the building of the Mishkan was all about recognizing and valuing the unique gifts each person brought to the community.
As we reach the closing parshiyot of Sefer Shemot, the Torah turns its focus to the building of the Mishkan. In Parshiyot Vayakhel and Pekudei, Bnei Yisrael come together to create a sacred space where Hashem’s Presence can dwell.
The parsha begins with the word Vayakhel, where Moshe gathers the people. He invites everyone to participate in building the Mishkan, and what follows is a remarkable moment of collective effort. People bring gold, silver, wood, fabrics, and precious stones. Others contribute their talents, spinning thread, weaving cloth, carving wood, and designing intricate details.
The Mishkan was not built by one person alone. It was built by a community, with each individual offering something unique.
Each year when I hear and think about these parshiyot in shul, I find myself thinking about school.
A school, in many ways, is also built through a gathering of people. Teachers, parents, and students each play an essential role in shaping the environment in which children grow. Teachers bring expertise, structure, and dedication. Parents bring deep love for their children and insight into who they are beyond the classroom. And students themselves bring curiosity, energy, and their developing talents.
When these pieces come together, something powerful and amazing happens. We create a place where children feel supported, challenged, seen and known.
One detail in these parshiyot that always resonates with me is how the Torah highlights the individual skills of the people involved in building the Mishkan. Some were artisans who worked with metal. Others wove fabrics or crafted wood. The Torah recognizes that different people were gifted in different ways, and that each talent was necessary.
In education, this idea feels especially meaningful.
Every child who walks through our school doors carries their own set of strengths, interests, and ways of learning. Some students thrive through reading and writing. Others shine when solving problems, building, creating, performing, or helping others. Part of our role as educators is to notice those sparks and help children develop them.
Not every child shines in the same way, and that is exactly as it should be.
The parsha also reminds us of the importance of responsibility – achrayut (Our current middah of the month!). In Pekudei, the Torah carefully records the accounting of all the materials used in the Mishkan. Nothing was overlooked; every contribution was acknowledged and treated with care. At OCA, we try to instill that same sense of achrayut in our students. Responsibility means recognizing that our actions matter, that the choices we make, the way we treat others, and the effort we bring to our learning all contribute to the kind of community we are building together.
When schools and families work in partnership, when we truly gather, Vayakhel, around the shared mission of helping children grow into thoughtful, compassionate, and capable individuals, we build something far greater than any one of us could create alone.
At OCA, we are fortunate to see this partnership come to life every day, through the dedication of our teachers, the support of our families, and the unique gifts each student brings to our community.
In many ways, together we are building our own Mishkan: a place where every child is seen, every talent is valued, and every member of the community plays a role in something larger than themselves. When we work together with intention, care, and shared purpose, we create not just a school, but a community where our children can truly grow and flourish.
Shabbat Shalom