Two days ago, the words of Parashat Terumah were chanted in synagogues around the world. This portion—which introduces the project of building the Tabernacle—opens with the following instruction:
דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיִקְחוּ־לִ֖י תְּרוּמָ֑ה מֵאֵ֤ת כׇּל־אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִדְּבֶ֣נּוּ לִבּ֔וֹ תִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־תְּרוּמָתִֽי׃
Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves them.
While perhaps the verse that has launched a million fundraising campaigns, there is also a powerful teaching for this Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. Shelly Christensen, the author of “Jewish Community Guide to Inclusion of People with Disabilities,” writes: “Everyone has gifts to share as well as needs for comfort and community. Inclusion is the opportunity for every person to participate in meaningful ways in the life of the Jewish community.”
Unlike other campaigns in the Torah which are obligatory, or reserved for certain ages and abilities, this project—the ultimate communal endeavor—is open and available to everyone whose heart so moves them. The communal project of building sacred space requires only whole-heartedness; all we need to join is the desire to participate, and the awareness of the gifts that each of us can bring.
— Rabbi Sari Laufer