Modern Mishkan

The Torah speaks of a portable holy space called the Mishkan.

G-d dwelled in the rooms, and priests performed their sacred tasks between the walls.

Ten years ago, a vision came to me, and with it a calling:
I would build a modern version of the Mishkan. Imagine walking into the Torah, an eight-foot-tall scroll embracing you like two arms, covered with the 613 Mitzvot in English (on the outside) and Hebrew (on the inside).

In biblical times, we performed sacrifices for G-d. Today, we use prayer. The Modern Mishkan is a prayer space, an offering, a representation of the connection between art and faith that has driven my career.

The Modern Mishkan is portable and the various versions have been installed in four locations.
Each version grows and evolves.

March 11 - March 19, 2026
Stelo Gallery Apartment

Stelo Gallery had a great show about the housing crisis in Portland called Dear Portland. As a part of the show, Judy Margles thought it
would be great to have an invitational dinner party inside the Modern Mishkan to gather both people directly affected by the housing crisis and people
trying to solve it, talking over a Shabbat dinner. The event started with a private tour of Dear Portland, after which people went upstairs to the
Stelo Gallery Artist-in-Residence apartment. It was an amazing experience.

The installation was up for a week and had quite a few visitors come through.One event was for our art group, Ora Northwest Jewish Artists,
in which storytellers shared three stories; the artists in attendance will make artwork based on some aspect of those stories.
In the fall we will have a show of the artwork in a location TBD.

Mitzvot with sunrise silk colors peeking through

Storytelling by Gail and Cassandra from "The Rooster Princess and Other Tales"

February 11 - February 22, 2026
Congregation Havurah Shalom

Congregation Havurah Shalom hosted during the Mishkan parsha (portion in the Torah). The events were a Kabbalat Shabbat celebration and tour,
a Family Shabbat Service and pilgrimage through (each person wrote the name of an honored ancestor on a leaf that was taped
to a column in front of the installation). There was a drumming circle and artist talk, a Torah study inside, Mishkan Hakol (Sanctuary of the Voice),
which included song, chanting, and a walking meditation around and inside the installation. The last event was each grade of the
K-6 Shabbat School getting an individual tour, with the artist giving teachings and answering questions.

Modern Mishkan at Congregation Havurah Shalom

Mishkan Hakol Sanctuary of the Voice chanting and meditation

October 5 - 16, 2025
Congregation Neveh Shalom

From Sukkot through Simcha Torah, Congregation Neveh Shalom hosted the newly completed installation.
Neveh Shalom in conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland held an event called Light in the Face of Darkness.
The Modern Mishkan stood in the back as a symbol of peace and prayer while people came to see it.
Many other groups visited: the Neveh teens group (using middle school and high school curriculum),
the ALIYAH school (using K-6 curriculum), a contingent of Cedar Sinai Park residents for a tour and artist talk,
and a women’s Torah study group (with adult curriculum). We also held Havdalah inside, followed by poetry and an artist Q&A.

Brian Rohr sharing his poetry from "Shaken to My Bones"

October 16 - 26, 2024
Eastside Jewish Commons

During the Jewish holidays of Sukkot and Simcha Torah, to kick off the installation’s debut, we had an
evening of music, poetry (written by Brian Rohr) and an artist talk.
Over 400 people visited and used the installation
space during these holidays. Many wrote prayers and
put them into the copper pot.
Later, I took those prayers and burned them as an offering.
The installation was not totally finished and
I worked on it over the next year to make it more complete. I actually redid the sunset side.
The structure needed stabilization so I enlisted the
help of a mechanical engineer.

Looking up through three layers of silk inside "Holy of Holies"

Outside with English commandments in branches

March, 2020
The Pandemic Years

Things were put on hold during the pandemic. I did get a lighter frame created and began drawing the new idea
for a three layered silk Etz Chiam (tree of life) as the Holy of Holies.
This version of the Modern Mishkan taught me about our connection with our ancestors and each other.

Watercolor idea of Mishkan "Holy of Holies" and exterior silk

Drawing the leaves and branches on paper

July, 2019
New CAJE Conference
(Council of Jewish Educators)

In this iteration I added a chuppah (marriage canopy) to the rear of the installation, providing an additional space
for personal reflection and prayer. The conference opened with 100 participants in a Havdalah service.
I invited these educators to return to the space throughout the week to meditate, pray,
and write blessings on paper that they placed in a copper basin. These blessings were then burned in a ceremony
and the ashes were buried as and offering, emulating the ancient sacrifices of our people.

February - April, 2019
The 150 Anniversary Celebration for Congregation Neveh Shalom
Portland, Oregon

The two-month installation was launched with an opening night lecture. During its time there I was told about one class of preschoolers who spontaneously laid down on the floor and silently gazed up at the letters. Congregants and staff would spend solo time in the space, meditating and contemplating. This version had a number of contributors and was truly a community builder.

Close-up of scroll handle and Hebrew commnadments

Putting up first frame made by Stu Luxenberg

Master weaver, Martha Decherd, creating accent from colors in torah text

Writing Hebrew commandments/Checking different sources

October, 2018
Art Show at Mittleman Jewish Community Center

As I was just beginning to bring the Modern Mishkan into reality, it became the walls of my booth for an art show. I had only the 613 Commandments written in English completed but wanted to share them with people. A couple of grieving patrons said they felt comforted, which was meaningful for me.