Looking for the Good in Everyone: Parashat Terumah -- Fundraising Tips and Understanding Egyptian Unrest

In this week's Torah portion, guided by God, we watch the most inspiring fundraising drive in history transpire:

From all the Israelites, Moses gathers gold, silver, and copper, blue, purple, and crimson yarns, fine linen, goat’s hair, tanned ram skins, dolphin skins, and acacia wood, oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense, lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast piece. 

The key to Moses' and God's success, was that everyone was included in the effort, not just the rich, not just the powerful, not just the talented, but everyone.  Nor were they coerced.  Only those "whose hearts were so moved" were invited to participate.  But borrowing an idea from Malcom Gadwell's The Tipping Point,  more and more Israelites heeded Moses' call, more people jumped on the bandwagon, until they got to a fundraiser's dream: 100% participation.  And with 100% participation came a true feeling of ownership.  That first desert sanctuary would truly be the People's Sanctuary....a place where, to quote the Torah portion, "God would dwell in their midst."

So what's the lesson for Egypt?  As Jews watch with a good deal of fear and trepidation as Mubarak's 30 year-reign begins to crumble and we worry about the status of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, we would wish Mubarak might put down his Koran for just a minute, and heed the wisdom of this week's parasha.  By truly including the people in governance and giving them a true sense of ownership by inviting the disenfranchised in, he might be able to save himself and his regime.  I am afraid, at this point, even with this suggested policy change, it will be too little too late, and if he were so inclined to become inclusive he would have done so long before now.  Like the Pharaoh long before him, his heart after 30 years has hardened, and he has become deaf to his people's cry to let my people go.

But it is NOT too late for us.  We need to see the talents and gifts of the people around us, from our fellow family members, to our fellow congregants, to our fellow classmates to our fellow employees.  This week's Torah portion suggests that we create opportunities for those around us to share their gifts for the common good of all, be it our families, our houses of worship, our schools, or our companies.  Being inclusive and aware of the gifts of others is our path to allow God to dwell in our midst, and to bring out the best in ourselves and in others.