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Rabbi Grossman’s Blog Corner
Rabbi Grossman's Corner
Parashat Ba-Midbar/Shavuot: Counting, accounting and recounting
May 25, 2017
This week’s parashah begins the book of Ba-Midbar, which opens with God commanding Moses to count. Take a census of the entire assembly of the Children of Israel according to their families, according to their fathers’ house, by number of the names, every male...
Parashat Emor – Counting
May 11, 2017
This weekend is Lag Ba-Omer, the 33rd day of counting from Passover to Shavuot. In our parshah this week we find the commandment to count these days: You shall count for yourselves – from the morrow of the rest day, from the day when you bring the omer of the waving...
Parashat Acharei- Mot – Kedoshim
May 4, 2017
In this week’s double parashah we find the well-know commandment “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). Rabbi Akiva taught that this precept is the most important rule in the Torah. In this week of commemoration and celebration - with Yom...
Parashat Tazria-Metzora – Yom Ha-Shoah
Apr 27, 2017
I love when my children come home eager to tell me something they learned in school that made an impression on them. I love it more when they assume they are telling me something I would have never heard before and they are eager to teach me. This past Monday we...
Parashat Shemini – Food for thought
Apr 20, 2017
The last thing I feel like doing the day after Passover is think about food. Again. There are so many important and meaningful messages to the holiday - about freedom and family and community, about faith and courage, traditions, history and heritage. But let’s face...
Happy Passover!
Apr 4, 2017
Questions are a central part of the Passover Seder. Our very youngest participants are tasked with asking the Mah Nishtana – why this night, this holiday, is different from every other night of the year. Questions help instill a love of learning and encourage the...
Parashat Vayikra – Guest blogger Akiva Shinshinit Yael Goldstone
Mar 30, 2017
This week's Dvar Torah is written by our Akiva Shinshinit, Yael Goldstone. Thank you Yael for sharing! Shabbat Shalom! Israel Kristal is the Guinness world record holder of being the oldest man alive. Israel was born in 1903 in Žernov. His father was drafted to the...
Parashat Va-Yakhel / Pikudei – However you can
Mar 23, 2017
In the weeks leading up to Passover, I hesitate sending my husband to the grocery store for me. My priority is cleaning out my pantry of hametz and purchasing only the essentials we can use and finish immediately. A request for a red pepper, a package of cheese and...
Parsha Ki Tisa – featuring guest blogger Dr. Michael Kalin
Mar 14, 2017
This week, we have a guest blogger, Akiva parent Dr. Michael Kalin, with an inspirational D'var Torah on Parashat Ki Tisa. Thank you Michael for sharing. Shabbat Shalom, Debbie We are all familiar with the story of the golden calf in Ki Tisa. Moshe ascends Mt....
Parashat Terumah – The home we build together…
Mar 1, 2017
At Akiva School we all work together to build something beautiful – a home for our children to learn, to grow and to thrive. This is the gift that we give to them - and to us - as we play a role in shaping our future through our children. I invite you all to read a...