Mikdash Mi’aht Magazine

The Backstory

From the Premier Issue, Parshat Terumah, 5779/2019
Letter from the Publisher and Editor
Lilly Rublin-Sokoloff
Aka Lavender Smith

Sometimes we have ideas that are on our to-do lists for awhile… Days, weeks, months, quarter centuries, half centuries. We take them out every now and then, we sift them, sigh and think wistfully about them, and imagine the possibilities. Yet, for whatever reason, we do not put them into action and nudge them, nurturing them as they grow into reality. These grandiose ideas stay in the far recesses of our brains, gathering cobwebs at the risk of being deleted memories when there is not enough room for the new ones and they are threatened with being discarded.

…..And then it becomes so cold in Chicago that it is colder than Antarctica…

…And some of the regular weekly Jewish magazines are not delivered in time for Shabbat and this magazine editor/publisher wannabe for years and decades and quarter century and almost half century realizes that people really really really need more magazines for Shabbos… And not just any Shabbos some time in the future after she finally figures out how to get as many of her little duckies all lined up in a row as possible… But this very Shabbos because it is this very Shabbos when there is most likely going to be a dearth of magazines available before Shabbos. And people need more magazines to read this Shabbos NOW. Even tho’ at this very moment as she types moments after her brainstorm, it is currently 10:38 am on Erev Shabbos Friday itself and she still has not yet learned the “”necessary skills”” on the computer to adequately pull this off, and both of her phones are megabytes away from not having enough memory to function properly and some functions are already unavailable… And one of her phones is stuck in Hebrew language font and so she sent a text to someone in Hebrew who had to ask someone to translate it for them …And her building is not even zoned for a landline, which explains the reason for the two phones, and she has no printer and would not necessarily know how to work it if she did, and she has absolutely no food cooked yet for Shabbos, and as she writes this she is currently the only staff member of this magazine…

But she has been learning very intently this last year about the concept of Better Done Than Perfect which helps people to activate their dreams and actualize them, bringing them to an active state and sharing them instead of continually trying to perfect them and thusly not finishing them…

…Therefore I hereby officially proudly, happily, and determinedly announce that:

Mikdash Mi’aht Magazine is now officially launched and even if this letter from the editor and publisher is the only thing in it… It is still launched and ready to sail.

So… Mikdash Mi’aht Magazine refers to the Mikdash Mi’aht, The Miniature Sanctuary that the Jewish home is meant to be. This magazine is meant to be kind of like a frum, religious, version of Jewish House Beautiful or Jewish Heimish House or Jewish Good Housekeeping. Or maybe Good Enough Jewish Housekeeping. May it be so, b’ezrat Hashem, bli ayin hara, with Hashem’s help, without an evil eye.

Every Mikdash Mi’aht is different. What one person or family needs to dedicate and infuse spirituality is not necessarily the same as their neighbor. Yes, some of the basics may be the same but there are distinguishing uniquenesses that infuse love and awe and respect for Hashem in beautiful, thoughtful, and caring ways.

I am reminded of one of my favorite lines in Allan Lieberman’s song about the Jewish home, paraphrased from the Torah where Hashem tells us to make Him a place where He can dwell.

“”Make Me a plaaaaaace”” Allan sings plaintively on behalf of Hashem. “”Where I can dweeeeeell..”” When I hear the plea in Allan’s voice I realize how very important this is to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Holy One Blessed Be He. Thank you, Allan very much. I love this song and playing it helps me establish a special mood in my home.

Mikdash Mi’aht Magazine is for people who savor words and crave more wonderfulnesses to read. Baruch Hashem, the first issue was completed and arrived in time to be accessed before Shabbat, Parshat Terumah in which we learn that Hashem says, “”Make Me a place.”” May Mikdash Mi’aht Magazine help people in their efforts and realities to Make a Place for Hashem…

Amen, may it be so.

The first issue was completed just before the first yahrzeit of my mom, Sandy Rublin, Shana (like Shana Tova) bat Rachel, zichrona livracha, of blessed memories, and the magazine is dedicated to aliyat nishamata, the elevation of her soul.

Writing and sharing my weekly magazine defines my week, gives me great joy and creative flow, and enhances the ways that I Make a Place for Hashem and share with the world. I am very grateful. Baruch Hashem.

Thank you, JWWS, for asking not just what it is, but also how it came to be…