Kol Nefesh received a new Torah last year. Now, with the help of a recent bar mitzvah, the synagogue can take it on the road in an all-new, handmade portable ark.
For his bar mitzvah project, 12-year-old Harry Folden built and decorated the new ark, which was first used during his bar mitzvah on June 8. He follows in the tradition of his grandfather, who had also built arks for Bet Aviv and Temple Isaiah in the past.
Since the Reform synagogue operates out of the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center, sharing space with several other Jewish and Christian congregations, having a portable ark is a must. But for a while, Kol Nefesh had been sharing a portable ark with its neighbors at Bet Aviv. This arrangement never caused any problems for either synagogue, but when Kol Nefesh got its new Torah, which replaced one that the synagogue was sharing with the other interfaith center congregations, spiritual leader Cantor Stephanie Weishaar started thinking about the need for a portable ark of their own.
“The congregations in Columbia have often had portable arks because we both use the interfaith center and hold services in other places,” Weishaar explained. “We didn’t really have one that was wholly ours. When we got this new Torah donated to us last year, it was on my mind that we might want something new for storing it.”
Harry Folden’s Torah portion, Parshat Nasso, marks the completion of the tabernacle. Weishaar suggested the idea to him, which she said he was very excited about. She connected him with a friend of hers who had also built a portable ark, and he started researching the construction process.
“Harry likes to build, and he wants to be an engineer when he grows up,” said his mother, Teri Folden. “When we think about kids doing community service projects, we usually think about them fundraising to give to charity. I wanted him to put some blood, sweat and tears into it.”
Harry worked with a family friend to create the design for the portable ark, which they then built in his garage. Once that was over, he started decorating it and putting the finishing touches on it himself, stamping and polishing it.
“Originally, I was going to build it with my father and grandfather, but it would have taken a while,” Harry said. “My friend’s dad is an unbelievable builder, so he helped me a lot. I went over to his house, and he asked me what I wanted it to look like, and we went from there.”
When people build arks, they usually follow the guidance of the Torah and what was written about the building of the tabernacle. However, the Torah does not go into very much detail about the ark-building process, which allows for a considerable amount of creative freedom. An ark can be anything from a pre-built wooden cabinet to an ornate structure built directly into the wall of a synagogue.
Harry noted that the feature of the ark that he’s proudest of is its doors, whose handles are part of a Magen David design. This is a callback to one of the arks his grandfather designed, which had a similar motif.
“I know that for a lot of kids, coming up with an idea for a b’nai mitzvah project can be difficult. Life is challenging, and so is finding the time to do good,” Weishaar said. “It’s amazing to me that Harry found the time, energy and guidance from adults who knew what they were doing and could teach him to use all these tools to make it happen. And I’m proud of him for giving back to the community with such a special project.”
Harry said that he’s excited for the ark to be implemented at the synagogue.
“I want other people to see it, and to know what they think about it,” he said. “It’s cool that it’ll be used again and again.”
