Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and CEO, on How to Make Your Home a Sacred Space
Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (also referred to as IFCJ or The Fellowship), oversees all ministry programs and serves as the international spokesperson for the organization.
Prior to her present duties, Yael Eckstein served as Global Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Director of Program Development and Ministry Outreach. Based in Israel with her husband and their four children, Yael is a published writer and a respected social services professional.
Yael Eckstein has contributed to The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and other publications, and is the author of three books: Generation to Generation: Passing on a Legacy of Faith to Our Children, Holy Land Reflections: A Collection of Inspirational Insights from Israel, and Spiritual Cooking with Yael. In addition, her insights into life in Israel, the Jewish faith, and Jewish-Christian relations can be heard on The Fellowship’s radio programs and her podcasts.
Yael Eckstein has partnered with other global organizations, appeared on national television, and visited with U.S. and world leaders on issues of shared concern. She has been a featured guest on CBN’s The 700 Club with Gordon Robertson, and she served on a Religious Liberty Panel on Capitol Hill in May 2015 in Washington, D.C., discussing religious persecution in the Middle East. She was also featured as the cover story of Nashim (Women) magazine in May 2015. Her influence as one of the young leaders in Israel has been recognized with her inclusion in The Jerusalem Post’s 50 Most Influential Jews of 2020 and 2021, and The Algemeiner’s Jewish 100 of 2019. She was named a winner in the 10th Annual 2022 CEO World Awards®, and received The Jerusalem Post’s 2023 Humanitarian Award.
Born in Evanston, Illinois, outside of Chicago, and well-educated at both American and Israeli institutions – including biblical studies at Torat Chesed Seminary in Israel, Jewish and sociology studies at Queens College in New York, and additional study at Hebrew University in Jerusalem – Yael Eckstein has also been a Hebrew and Jewish Studies teacher in the United States.
Below Yael Eckstein will explore the topic of enhancing homes spiritually. Drawing inspiration from the Book of Genesis, Yael Eckstein will delve into the miracles that God blessed the homes of Sarah and Rebekah with, which transformed their homes into sacred spaces. Throughout the centuries, Jewish homes have incorporated three ritual objects, influenced by the practices of Sarah and Rebekah, to elevate the spiritual atmosphere of their homes.
During the interview, Yael Eckstein will share insights and wisdom on how these practices can help turn our own homes into sacred and godly spaces. By exploring the significance of these ritual objects and the lessons we can learn from them, you will gain a deeper understanding of how to enhance your home spiritually.
What is the significance of the miracles in the homes of Sarah and Rebekah? How do these miracles relate to the concept of enhancing homes spiritually?
YE: The verse I want to focus on today tells us about Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah, and it’s in Genesis 24:67. “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother, Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
This verse tells us that Isaac married Rebekah and that he loved her. It also adds that Isaac’s relationship with Rebekah was a source of comfort after losing his mother. Now, of course, no one can replace the loss of a loved one. We all know that personally, but it’s not uncommon for people to feel some degree of comfort when they experience a new loving relationship like a new spouse or a baby. So it’s not surprising that scripture tells us that Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death once he married Rebekah. But according to Jewish tradition, Isaac was comforted by more than the loving relationship that he had with his new wife. When Rebekah came into Isaac’s home, a part of Sarah returned along with her too.
The rabbis taught that while Sarah was alive, there were three consistent miracles inside of her home. The first miracle concerned the candles that Sarah lit each Friday evening before the Shabbat began, which burned all week long until it was time to light the Shabbat candles once again.
The second miracle is that there was a blessing in Sarah’s dough. The way to understand this is that the bread that Sarah baked remained fresh all week long. It never became stale or moldy. And remember, Sarah definitely didn’t use preservatives!
And the third miracle was that God’s cloud of glory always rested above her tent. Isaac grew up with these miracles in his home, but when his mother’s soul left the world, the miracles were gone too. We can only imagine how he felt Sarah’s absence in such a profound way every single day. But the Jewish sages teach that when Isaac married Rebekah, all three miracles returned to Isaac’s home.
Now these weren’t just random miracles that God chose to bless both Sarah and Rebekah with. They were very symbolic. The rabbis explained that the miracles in their homes reflected the holiness and character of the women who lived inside of them. The candlelight that lasted all week long represented the warmth and the insight that both women offered to everyone. Their homes were a place of love and light. The bread that never got stale reflected the fresh enthusiasm that both women brought to their service to God each and every day. And the clouds of glory symbolized God’s constant presence in the matriarchs’ homes.
They spoke about God, prayed to Him, and ran their home according to His ways. Even if we don’t have these kinds of miracles in our homes and households today, they still serve as a paradigm for the homes that we can and should create. A house that is meant to be much, much more than the four walls and the roof over our heads. Our homes can even today become places of holiness, places of love and light, places of service to God, places where we can feel the presence of God as can everyone who lives in our homes and visits them. As people of faith, we shouldn’t settle for anything less.
Can you tell us about the three ritual objects that connect Jewish homes to the homes of Sarah and Rebekah?
YE: These objects elevate our homes, and most importantly, they elevate the people in each home. I know they have for me and for my family, but before I talk about these three objects, I want to make it clear that this isn’t about the objects themselves.
Like any ritual or ritual object, they’re only as meaningful as the intentions that we put into them. These objects are tools and if used correctly and intently, they can transform who we are and the places where we live. This is the point of having holy symbolism and objects all over our houses.
The first ritual object that I want to tell you about, which you might have seen in Jewish households, is called a tzedakah box. Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for charity, and a tzedakah box is a charity box, a container to hold money set aside for charity. Tzedakah boxes have existed in places of worship since temple times.
For hundreds of years, they were staples in synagogues as a way to collect money for communal purposes, but around the end of the 18th century, tzedakah boxes made their way into Jewish homes. Today just about every Jewish house has at least one tzedakah box. They’re usually placed in prominent locations like in the kitchen of the house or in other spaces where they’re most likely to be used.
Family members can deposit a few coins on a daily or weekly basis, and then when the box is filled the money is given to charity. There are all kinds of tzedakah boxes. They can be ornate objects created by an artist or homemade containers made by kids in school. In my home, we have both kinds, and I always keep at least one of them next to my Shabbat candlestick so that my kids and I can give charity just before I light my Sabbath candles. I always keep another box outside of their rooms so that they can get in the habit when they go in and out of their rooms to simply do a good deed and give charity.
The point of a tzedakah box is to encourage giving not just a few times a year, but on a continual basis, even giving a few pennies or a dollar. It helps us get used to being generous so that generosity is second nature to us. When tzedakah boxes are inside a house, it transforms the people into givers, and the home into a place of giving. Like Sarah and Rebekah’s candles that constantly served as a source of warmth and light, our tzedakah boxes bring warmth and light to our homes by making them places of kindness, love, and caring, and thinking about those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
I once heard a story about a rabbi who went to a housewarming party hosted by a young couple from his congregation. The couple renovated a beautiful home in Boston, and the result was magnificent. They showed their house to their guests and everyone was extremely impressed. At one point, the couple shared that they had hired an expensive interior decorator, but that it had been worth every single penny.
They proudly told their guests, “Now this is interior decorating.” A few minutes later, an elderly lady approached the rabbi. She was the mother of the hostess and lived with her daughter and son-in-law. She asked the rabbi if he wanted to see her room. The rabbi agreed, figuring it would make her happy. When she opened the door to her room, she didn’t point out the expensive furnishings. Instead, she pointed to the window sill where she had half a dozen tzedakah boxes for various causes.
She turned to the rabbi and said, “Now this is interior decorating.” There is a deep truth to what that woman said. When it comes to creating a beautiful home, even the most expensive furnishings cannot compete with an atmosphere of love and kindness. Given the choice between a home filled with beautiful things or a home filled with love, I think we’d all choose the latter. Nothing is as beautiful as a home that is filled with loving-kindness.
Now this may not be the first time you’ve heard about a tzedakah box, but I’m pretty sure that you’ve never heard about the next object that I’m about to tell you about. It’s called Netilat Yadayim in Hebrew. And it’s a large cup with two handles that’s used for ritual hand washing. In the Jewish tradition, one of the first things that we do when we wake up in the morning is wash our hands using this special cup. We use the cup to pour water over our hands several times, alternating between each hand.
The biblical source for this practice comes from Exodus 30:17-21, where God directs the priests of Israel to wash their hands ritually before serving him in the Temple. The rabbis taught that when we wake up in the morning, we are like the priests in the Temple about to serve God. So like the priests, we wash our hands ritually with a special vessel in order to prepare ourselves for our own daily service.
This practice reminds us that each day brings new opportunities to serve God. Each day brings new purpose and meaning to our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in our daily routines, for the days to run into each other and to feel that one day is no different than another. Believe me, I know. We wash dishes, again. We go to work, again. We make dinner, again. Do the laundry, again and again and again.
Life can easily become stale, feeling repetitive and boring. But washing our hands in the morning reminds us that this day is a new day and that we have a new purpose to fulfill. It reminds us to bring fresh enthusiasm to each day and remember that our service of God in whatever form it takes is holy work. This is a unique opportunity to serve Him and grow closer to him.
One of the blessings in the homes of Sarah and Rebekah was that the bread that they baked was always fresh because Sarah and Rebekah always served God with fresh enthusiasm. When I use the special washing cup to wash my hands in the morning, I try to connect to Sarah and Rebekah and begin each day inspired to serve God.
I remember that even the housework is holy work and that each day is a gift, something I never had before and never will have again. And when I feel inspired and excited about my day, the energy of my house is different. It’s not stale. It’s not repetitive. It’s exciting and holy. And you know what? My family definitely feels it too.
The third and final ritual item that I want to tell you about is called a Mezuzah, and it can be found on the doorpost of every Jewish home. So what is a mezuzah? A mezuzah contains a rolled-up piece of parchment with the words of the Shema prayer from Deuteronomy chapter 6 and chapter 11 handwritten on it. The Shema prayer begins, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one,” and declares our faith in God. The word mezuzah literally means doorpost, and mezuzah scrolls are placed on every doorpost of our homes.
Can you think of another place in the Bible where the nation of Israel declared their faith in God by placing something on their doorposts? That’s right. As you might have guessed, this practice has its roots directly in the Bible. In the blood that the ancient Israelites placed on their doorpost during the final plague in Egypt, the killing of the firstborn. The blood on the doorpost declared their faith in God and protected them from the plague. But the actual source for having a mezuzah on our doorposts is from the Shema prayer itself.
The passages in Deuteronomy tell us to love God and to follow his commandments. In Chapter 6:9, we read, “Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” This directive has been fulfilled for thousands of years. And even today, if you look at the doorposts of ancient homes in Israel or towns anywhere in the world where Jews once lived, you can find indentations on the doorposts of their homes, evidence that a mezuzah was once there and that Jews once lived there.
Usually, a mezuzah scroll is placed inside a specially-made container. They range from simple plastic containers to beautiful silver enclosures. The most important thing though is not the outside. It’s on the inside, in the container that protects the scroll inside of it. The mezuzah represents God’s presence in our homes, a lot like the clouds of glory that rested on Sarah and Rebekah’s homes.
For this reason, a mezuzah is considered something that is protective. In fact, the back of each mezuzah scroll contains one of the names of God, Shaddai. This name means the guardian of Israel’s doors. It’s a reminder that God protects our homes, but that’s not the only purpose of the mezuzah. It’s also a constant reminder that God’s presence can be inside our homes if we let him in. Every time we pass a mezuzah, we touch it and kiss it.
In this way, we express our love for God and our acknowledgment that He’s in our homes as long as we let Him in. By kissing the mezuzah, we are inviting Him into our hearts and into our homes. That’s what the mezuzah does. It reminds us that our houses can be a place where God resides. That our homes are so much more than a place to care for our physical needs. They are a place of godliness where we can grow spiritually and serve as a source of blessing to anyone who walks through our doors.
How can we enhance our homes to create a dwelling palace for God?
In Exodus 25:8, God says, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me and I will dwell among them.” This week, take some time to think about how you can enhance your home, making it a place where God dwells. Maybe you can print out and hang your favorite Scripture, or maybe you can create some artwork that uplifts you spiritually. You might consider making a simple charity box on your own or maybe with your children or grandchildren, or maybe you can make your own morning ritual, one that puts you in the right frame of mind for serving God in your home throughout your day.
