My Jewish Journey

This week’s parashah is the story of Noah and the ark. God tells Noah he is going to destroy the earth because the people are corrupt and He gives Noah very specific instructions and measurements so he can build an ark for himself and his family and two of every...

“What are you making for Sukkot?” my daughter asks me.  “We always have pumpkin soup in the sukkah,” she adds.  “And stuffed zucchini?” You usually make that too.” “Are you going to make stuffed cabbage this year,” my husband asks.  “It’s my favourite.” Everyone has...

There is a story told of Rabbi Akiva that the only time he ever said, “It is time to stop studying,” was on the eve of Passover and on the eve of Yom Kippur. He wanted to leave the house of study early on the eve of Passover “because of the children” – so they should...

One of the concepts of Rosh Hashanah is the Book of Life.  The image is that God is sitting up in heaven with a huge book in front of Him, in which He accounts for all our positive and negative deeds over the past year and decides whether we are worthy of reward...

For this week’s Parashah blog, it was my pleasure to share with you the Dvar Torah of Nora-Jin Sokoloff, a recent Akiva graduate who celebrated her Bat Mitzvah this past Shabbat.  We wish her and her family Mazal Tov.   I am very excited but maybe a little...

Parashat Ki Teitzei sets out a series of miscellaneous laws, mostly governing civil and domestic life.  For your Shabbat table and family dinner discussions, here a few questions to consider the larger lessons we learn from these laws and how they continue to apply to...

In this week’s parashah, we read about Korach’s rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.  Together with 250 well-known men among the Israelites, he argued: For the entire Assembly – all of them – are holy and the Lord is among them, so why do you exalt...

Guest Blogger Bonnie Levine Akiva Parent and Board Member Not sure if you have been feeling it but there is a current, a common theme dominating our news cycles and conversations these days. It’s all about leadership.  Be it Trump, Trudeau, Coderre, Applebaum, or...

Parashat Be’Ha’alotekha – Parenting moments. The relationship between and God and the people of Israel often reflects the relationship between parent and child. In this week’s parasha, Be’Ha’alotekha, we see different glimpses of God’s parenting moments. After some...

Fun fact: This week’s parashah, Naso, is the longest parashah in the Torah with 176 verses. In it, we find the priestly blessing:. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying so shall you bless the Children of Israel, say to them: May the Lord bless you and keep you; May...