Sivan Newsletter 5785

This newsletter is dedicated to the souls of the fallen and the murdered Israelis, along with the safe return of all the Israeli citizens held in captivity.

The Ark of the Covenant – the most sacred item in the Tabernacle and the Temple – was not only a container for the Tablets of the Law, but also a powerful symbol of the Divine Presence dwelling at the heart of the Israelite camp.

In this video, we will dive into the unique structure of the Ark, understand what sets it apart from all the other vessels of the Tabernacle, and discover how it uniquely reveals the special connection between Heaven and Earth.

News

Marking 58 years since the reunification of Jerusalem, we took part in one of the week’s main events – the festive Flag March on Jerusalem Day, in which over 50,000 participants marched.

During the march, we conducted a wide-reaching campaign that included several registration booths and a dedicated team of young volunteers who accompanied the parade along its entire route. The team engaged participants with the 'Third Temple' project, distributed special flags and branded wristbands, and spread the message throughout the entire course of the march.

In 2025, 24,097 Israeli Jews and 15,677 tourists ascended the Temple Mount.
What about you?

(Credit: Journal Makor Rishon)

How can we discover that we are all equal and important?

In Parshat Bamidbar, God commands Moses and Aaron to conduct a general census of the people of Israel.
This seems puzzling – why would God need to count the people? After all, it’s clear that He knows exactly how many people are in the nation of Israel.

But this counting contains a profound and fundamental message:

God values each and every one of us as a precious diamond. Each person is considered an only child – important, beloved, and never forgotten.

When the people are counted – everyone is equal. No one is worth more than another: each person increases the total count by exactly one — no more, no less.

Chassidic teachings explain that the purpose of the counting is to remind us that the differences between us—in skills, abilities, and traits—are only external. In these, one may have more and another less.

But there is a deeper, inner essence within us all – the fact that we are all children of God.
Within each of us resides a pure, divine soul—equal and holy—just like in every other person.

Just like in a family – every child is equally loved. A parent's love does not depend on abilities, but on essence: they are their children.

The more we focus on the soul, the more we remember life’s deeper essence and invest in it, the more we can create a loving and supportive society where everyone knows they matter.

A person must see others as equals, deserving of respect and understanding.

This was one of the preparations the Israelites made before the Giving of the Torah, and this practice has remained through all generations.

To such a people, united as one, God chose to give the Torah at Mount Sinai.

“...and there Israel encamped before the mount” - as one person with one heart.

Our true strength lies in seeing the other as part of ourselves.

When everyone is united – the prayer will be fulfilled within us.
Bless us, our Father, all as one – when we are united as one, we are blessed.

(from Rabbi Yoav Yossef Akrich)

“Thus, so to speak, the soul of every Jew was drawn from His blessed thought and wisdom.”
(Tanya, Chapter B)