Dear Phil,
Mazal tov on your retirement! I’m so grateful that our dear friend Joe Levine connected us and pushed me to become involved with JLV. You have been an inspiring leader. Our local Jewish community has been the recipient of your many talents. Yasher koach on an excellent career. Good luck as you move into your next adventure.

 With love, Marcy Bacine

Phil,
You are the greatest. I hope next year you will have time to make it to the Samaritan Sacrifice on Mt. Gerizim that we missed a mere 41 years ago. All the best.

Richard Busis

Phil-
From our days together 25 years ago when I first joined the board of Community Hebrew Schools to being a trustee of the Jewish Learning Venture, it has been great to work with you. I was always impressed with your ability to sense the pulse of the Jewish community and to develop programs to address the needs. I learned a lot of text from you, so I’ll quote from Pirke Avot:

“Those who work for the community should do so for the sake of Heaven;
for then merit of their ancestors shall aid them, and their righteousness shall endure forever.”

Mazel Tov on your retirement and best wishes for good health and success in all your future endeavors.

Michael Dvorak

Having worked with you for more than half of your term of leadership of JLV and its predecessor agencies, I can assure you that you will be both missed and your legacy not forgotten! You have been, and I hope will continue to be, both a mentor and a friend. Wishing you many years of health, happiness and fulfillment in your well deserved retirement.

Walter Ferst

Dear Phil~
I am so incredibly grateful for all of your mentorship, support and friendship through the years. I can’t imagine bringing ‘Whole Community Inclusion’ into the world without your energy and support. I am wishing you an exciting new chapter in retirement!

L’shalom, Gabby

“For Jews, education is not just what we know, but who we are.” (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)

Thank you being a role model of sharing Jewish life and Jewish education.

With gratitude, Lisa Litman

KOL HA-KAVOD TO RABBI PHIL WARMFLASH FOR YOUR YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO JEWISH EDUCATION
Your mentorship, vision, and passion have inspired me to become more than I could imagine. May you be blessed with new challenges, exciting adventures, good health, long life, and great joy.

Hedda S. Morton

Thank you for your years of service and dedication to our Jewish community. We have all benefitted from your creativity and commitment. Our Jewish educational institutions are stronger for it.

Hershel Richman

Going back to the Community Hebrew School days, I’ve literally been following you for 25 years! Your creativity and leadership skills have made a huge impact both locally and nationally. It’s been such a pleasure to work with you and become your friend. Let me know how retirement goes – I may follow you there too!

Steve Schwartz

Phil–
Todah rabah for your longstanding vision, leadership and warm energy. You have laid a foundation and raised the torch for Jewish education in Philadelphia and our world. When I moved to the Philly area, I soon learned how JLV, under your leadership, serves as an additional “benefit” organizations can offer professionals who join them. Through your leadership I have grown and spread my wings; and I have been privileged to build partnerships and relationships through your guidance. May you continue to influence the world for good. Mazel Tov! Chazak v’Amatz!

Shoshanah Tornberg

Rabbi Phil,
Todah – Thank you for your friendship, your counsel, your humor, and your expertise. Jewish education in Philadelphia and beyond is so much richer for what you have given us all. Your impact will be felt for generations to come! Wishing you only the best; kol tuv, and todah!

Rabbi Eric Yanoff and Adath Israel, Merion Station

Thank you for all that you have done for Jewish education, the greater Philadelphia Jewish community and Jewish Learning Venture. Kol hakavod – כל הכבוד

Fredy-Jo and Lewis Grafman

It has been a great pleasure working with you to insure that Jewish education can reach its potential in the Greater Philadelphia area and beyond. I will personally miss your professional guidance but look forward to maintaining our friendship.

Shelley Menkowitz

Dear Phil,
Thank you for your many decades of work on behalf of Jewish learning and the Jewish people. Thank you for your educational leadership, your colleagueship, and your partnership on so many projects. Most importantly, thank you for your friendship. Thanks to you, the world of Jewish education was a much less lonely place. May you go from strength to strength.

David Waksberg

Rabbi Phil, I feel honored to have had the privilege of getting to know you and working with you through all the trials and tribulation of the exploration of a communal Jewish high school for St. Paul. In just a short time I felt your warmth, your conviction, and your ability to create relationship. I immediately became endeared to you as I felt your genuine interest and respect for me. I feel a made a life-long friend, even though we just met and worked together remotely for a relatively short time. Mazel tov on this next life adventure! 

Warmly,
Judy Sharken Simon