My Jewish Journey
Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky, Director of Jewish Life and Learning, shares insights on lessons from the Torah, Jewish customs and traditions and inspirational thoughts for personal growth.
Parashat Miketz – Joseph restrained himself
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. An Akiva parent, Debbie has an MA and PhD in the history of Jewish Bible Interpretation from McGill University as well as a Masters in Library and Information Science (MLIS) also from McGill. Let’s start with an exegetical question...
Parashat VaYeshev – “And his brothers heard.”
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. An Akiva parent, Debbie has an MA and PhD in the history of Jewish Bible Interpretation from McGill University as well as a Masters in Library and Information Science (MLIS) also from McGill. "Don’t pick up your sister!" "Put her...
Parashat VaYishlach – “And Israel heard”
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. An Akiva parent, Debbie has an MA and PhD in the history of Jewish Bible Interpretation from McGill University as well as a Masters in Library and Information Science (MLIS) also from McGill. “Whatever you do, DO NOT fold that huge...
Parashat Vayetze – “I will return in peace.”
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. An email from my daughter’s high school reassures parents they have hired extra security this week, and that students will be kept indoors for recess and lunch. Federation advises Jewish schools and institutions to be extra vigilant,...
Parashat Toldoth – It’s all relative.
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. Genetics are a wondrous thing. The personalities and characteristics our children inherit from us and from their other parent make us swell with pride and drive us crazy. Usually on the same day. And also every day. When my daughter...
Parashat Hayyei Sarah – “In the end, only kindness matters.”
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky Do you give your children an allowance? Do they do chores in order to earn that allowance? Do you withhold allowance if they don’t do all the chores every day? Money or stickers or stars or checkmarks are all tangible symbols that...
Parashat Vayeira – The Value of the Individual: “Shall the judge of all the earth not do justice?”
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky My husband grew up going camping with his family every summer. I did not. We went to Acadia National Park one summer - our second summer married, when I was still a good sport - and spent a few days in a tent. Two things stick out...
Parashat Lekh Lekha – When giving doesn’t feel good.
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky Oprah said, “The best feeling you can ever have is to give to others.” The play date found a package of “Frozen” Jelly Belly jelly beans, a special treat from a good friend out of town, and asked my daughter if she could have one. ...
Parashat Noah – Can you qualify perfect?
Monday morning we celebrated my eldest daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. As some of you may know, my daughter was born 10 weeks early - after a difficult and tenuous pregnancy - and weighed only 1080 grams, or 2 pounds, 6 ounces. She spent 51 days in the NICU and still only...
Parashat Bereishit; From Chaos to Rest.
By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky The month of holidays is behind us. There is much about them that I enjoy. I love to cook and entertain. I love to go to synagogue with my children, to decorate the sukkah, to spend time with friends, to read books and nap and play...
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Parashat Bamidbar
My daughter was working on a French assignment – reading a previously unseen text and answering questions. One of the questions provided the first sentence of a couplet and asked the student to write a rhyming second line. “When am I ever going to have to do...
Parashat Emor – Say it like you mean it.
Do you ever feel like the words you impart to your children hang in the air above them, never quite penetrating their brains (and conscience)? I imagine them hanging there, floating like a balloon that slowly sinks to the ground as it deflates. And then trampled on...
Parashat Acharei Mot – Kedoshim – The Heart of the Torah
This week’s double portion falls approximately in the middle of Leviticus, the middle of the 5 books of the Torah. And just about in the middle of this double parshah is the commandment – ve-ahavta le-re’ekha kamokha – love your fellow as you love yourself. Treat...
Parashat Tazria-Metzora – by Yaffa Epstein
For this week, I would like to share the following D'var Torah by Yaffa Epstein. Yaffa Epstein lives in Jerusalem and is blessed to teach Talmud, Jewish Law, and Liturgy at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Yaffa is a recovering lawyer, and is currently poring...
Learning from a Sandwich – Parashat Sh’mini
D'VAR TORAH BY: ROBERT TORNBERG This week's parashah, Sh'mini, consists of three distinct parts that do not appear, on the surface, to relate directly to one to another. Let's begin by looking at a summary of each of these parts. The first section of this portion...
Parashat Tzav – Holiness in the Mundane
Many, many years ago, my husband and I would host the first Seder for our family in our apartment and then walk to Cooki’s house the next day to spend the second Seder with her family. Cooki’s husband Barry was my PhD supervisor and my husband and I spent many...
Parashat Vayikra
This week's D'var Torah is brought to us by Deborah Gettes, a consultant for special needs education for the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education of Greater Philadelphia. Understanding the concept of korbanot gives us concrete ways to live our lives. To the...
Parashat Va-Yakhel-Pekudei – the Blessing of Shabbat
This week’s parshah begins with the first gathering of the nation before Moses since the sin of the golden calf, its repercussions and ultimately, God’s forgiveness. The first thing Moses says to them is: For a period of six days work may be done, but the seventh day...
Parashat Ki Tisa
This week, I'd like to share a D'var Torah from Kveller.com: What my daughter's favourite stuffed animal has to do with the golden calf Shabbat Shalom! Debbie
Parashat Teruma – Medals of Metal
With the start of the Olympics this week, there is a lot of talk about GOLD. Sure, winning silver and bronze is better than no medal at all, but GOLD is the ultimate triumph. In this week’s parashah, Terumah, the Israelites are commanded to donate the materials for...
