This year, for the first time in 1928 years, we enter Nisan with Hekdesh available for the new year. Locked in a safe, on the second floor of the Offices of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel, rests the proceeds of the Trumat HaLishka ceremony performed the day before, on Erev Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

In the presence of Levites and Kohanim (descendants of the Priestly family) at precisely 1 pm, Thursday, March 26, 1998, 27th Adar, 5758, the first Trumat HaLishka ceremony was performed since the year 70, prior to the Destruction of the Holy Temple. Between 1 pm and 1:30 pm, chapter 3 of Mishnah Shekalim was read aloud in several languages, to the accompaniment of Davidic Harp and flute players.

At 1:30 pm, a Brinks armored truck arrived, and a team of Brinks guards, all Kohanim, proceeded to the golden chest for New Shekels. The call went out for the Levite who bears the key to the chest to come foward, and he removed the lock from the chest. The call then went out for the Senior Levite present to come foward. The Levite asks all assembled: Etrom? (Shall I Seperate [the Shekels]?) The crowd responds: Trom! Trom! Trom! (Seperate! three times). While the Shofar was sounded, the senior Levite removed the Half-Shekels (donated since Purim) in a special wicker basket, and from that into a steel strongbox that was locked with a key (of which two copies were made).

The senior Kohen amongst the Brinks guards received the locked box containing the Hekdesh and proceeded to the armored truck under guard with Uzis and pistols.

It was quite a sight! The television crews raced ahead of the Brinks truck and arrived at the Offices of the Chief Rabbinate in time to film the Brinks guards, Uzis and pistols at the ready, enter the building and proceed to the second floor.

With cameras rolling, the entire entourage witnessed the Brinks guard place the box of Hekdesh in the safe, the safe was locked, and a representative of the Chief Rabbinate's Office signed the manifest, officially receiving the Hekdesh from Brinks.

At this point the guards were dismissed, and the group of Levites and witnesses proceeded to the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau and presented his secretary with one of the two keys to the box containing the Hekdesh. It was received politely. From there, the group went to the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, and the second key to the box was presented. At that point the Shofar was sounded and people came running from all the offices on the floor to see what was happening. Mission acomplished.

A Purim story? You bet. And it really happened.

A few funny things happened on the way to the Temple.

On Sunday March 22, we began making preparations for the Trumat HaLishka ceremony. First order of business, we called Brinks to order an armored truck for Thursday. While explaining the nature of the cargo, we requested that they provide us with a team of Levites and Kohanim, as the Hekdesh has been under Levitical supervision since Purim. The director of Brinks Jerusalem, Mr. Hillel Cohen, informed us that unfortunately he had no Levites, however, they were well stocked with Kohanim. What a gas! Brinks corporation now has a team of Kohanim on call, whenever the need arises to transport Hekdesh.

Sunday afternoon we paid a visit to the Office of the Chief Rabbinate and spoke with Rabbi Frank. We reminded him that on Thursday Brinks was coming to deliver Hekdesh and that he needed to provide either a safe in the building or rent a safe deposit box to store the Hekdesh. I saw the look come over him. It was like "make this go away." Suddenly he had a flash. "Go see the general manager of the Chief Rabbinate's Office (as in "Give it to Mikey, he'll eat anything.) Whew, it worked. I was gone in a flash. Explaining to the GM's secretary that Rabbi Frank sent me, I proceeded to explain what was required, and I was given over to the manager of the physical building, offices and equipment - the quartermaster if you will. I explained that Rabbi Frank sent me, we have been corresponding for over three years on this project, and that Brinks is arriving with Hekdesh on Thursday and "you guys need a safe to store it." He took me aside and showed me this big new safe that had just been installed and asked if this would be sufficient? With my best poker face I replied calmly "yep, that'll do" and inside I was delerious with joy. And how that safe will do! Hands were shook, cards exchanged, and we parted company both smiling.

What is learned from all this? For three years I fought with the Chief Rabbinate to get them to take responsibility for minting the coins, for distributing them, for collecting them back in, and for safeguarding the Hekdesh. They responded No! No! No! and No! In and effort to get rid of me, I was sent to someone else to be told no. Except no one ever expected me to come up with a yes. In an organization the size of the Chief Rabbinate, the head does not know what the hands are doing. And so today, there rests in the safe of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel, Hekdesh. Mission accomplished.

The next Trumat HaLishka ceremony is held Rosh Chodesh Sivan (five days before Shavuoth). If you haven't already sent in your Half-Shekel, you have until May 26, 1998 to make the next "Seperation" ceremony.