Text as a Lens
By Elana Rivel, Associate Director / Two are Better than One, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 / This quote was written on the front of my bat mitzvah invitation. It was not anything I would be reciting during my ceremony, but it emphasized an important part of who I am – a twin. My brother and I celebrated this milestone together and our parents found a way to further connect who we were to our rich, Jewish tradition. The significance was not lost on me and, in fact, it helped strengthen the lens of how I continue to connect to the world.
One Book, One Jewish Community
By Debbie Leon, Director, Family Engagement / The number seven holds particular significance in Jewish tradition. It is associated with wholeness and completion. Shabbat, our day of rest, is the 7th day of the week. Each Shabbat, 7 people (individually or in groups) are called to participate in the Torah reading (these are called aliyot).
The Gift of Books
By Amy Schwartz, Director, PJ Library & jkidphilly / In the children’s book, Thank you, Trees, by Gail Langer Karwoski and Marilyn E. Gootman, it reads, “On Tu BiShvat we thank each tree, for all it gives to you and me.” I think of this sentiment and how it is also a metaphor for books themselves and the gifts of learning, wondering, and imagining they can provide.