Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. — Exodus 30:13

Each week in synagogue, Jews read through the Torah from Genesis to Deuteronomy. This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tisa, which means “when you raise up,” from Exodus 30:11—34:35.

One of the most amazing things about IFCJ Canada is not how many people we help, but where the support comes from. It’s true that we have helped millions of needy people over the years. In fact, last year alone, we helped more than two million elderly Jews, families, and orphans. But what’s even more amazing is how we are able to help them!

IFCJ Canada  is blessed to have hundreds of thousands of donors who give each year to enable us to do what we do. Many of them give from their meager savings — $5 here, $10 there. The success of IFCJ Canada comes from the many people who each chip in what they can — when they can.

Those who sow are usually people who could never make a significant impact on their own. But when they send in their donations — no matter how large or small — they become part of something so much bigger. It’s truly a group effort. It’s a fellowship!

Forming a Whole to Accomplish God’s Work

In this week’s Torah portion, we read about the collection of the half shekel from each and every member of the nation of Israel.

The Bible says that the rich could not give more than half a shekel, and the poor could not give less. Everyone shared equally in the campaign. This collection of half-shekels was used to build the Tabernacle. This way, every Jew was able to look at the Tabernacle and know that they had an equal share in constructing the house of God.

The obvious question is, why half a shekel? Why not a whole shekel? Why not some other amount? But if you think about it, the message is very powerful. By instructing each person to give a half a shekel, the Bible teaches us that each of us on our own is only half. We’re incomplete.

We can’t build the Tabernacle, the house of God, on our own. We can’t build His kingdom on our own. We can only do half. We can’t feed millions of people on our own. We can only do our small part. The other half must come from everyone else.

Together, we form a whole to accomplish God’s work. Together, we can accomplish something greater than ourselves, something greater than anything we could ever do alone. 

Your turn: Join with the thousands of others in sowing into the sacred work of IFCJ Canada today!