Each week, we’ll be sharing a page of Judy Weiner’s source sheets for children. They are a wonderful way to enrich your children’s understanding of the parasha, whether at home, in school, or at shul.
This week’s story is Lech Lecha, exploring Abram’s journey — a tale of courage, choices, and trust in God. The questions are sparks for interesting conversations about taking steps forward when you don’t know what the future holds. You can download and print the story on the link at the bottom.
In 1995, Judy Weiner created a full year’s worth of Parashat HaShavua materials for children aged 7–12. These thoughtful and imaginative pieces were later published in 1997 in a Masorti collection called Reflections of the Year: Insights into the Weekly Parasha, edited by Harry Freedman.
As Judy wrote at the time:
“Each week I will bring you interesting ideas, stories, riddles and quizzes for you to read — and to share on Shabbat morning or at your children’s service.”
Nearly thirty years later, we’re delighted to reopen this treasure chest. Each week, we’ll be sharing selected pages online for you to download and print — a wonderful way to enrich your children’s understanding of the parasha, whether at home, in school, or at shul.
Let’s start our journey of discovery with Lech Lecha.
This week we read of Abram’s journey. His journey from place to place, and his journey in life — the changes he had to make.
🏠 Start here: Abram lives in Haran.
➡️ God tells him to move to a place “that I will show you.”
➡️ Abram, Sarai and Lot reach Canaan. God says that it will be theirs one day.
🌾 FAMINE!
➡️ They move to Egypt. The Pharaoh loves Sarai. Abram pretends they aren’t married to save his life.
➡️ Move to the Negev. The shepherds argue. So Abram offers Lot any land he wants. Lot chooses to go East to S’dom.
➡️ So Abraham settles in Canaan. God promises that his children will have all the land as far as he can see. (This seems strange to Abram who has no children at all.)
➡️ Abram and Hagar (the maidservant) have a son – Ishmael. Hagar has to run away because Sarai is jealous.
✨ God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, because God has blessed them and promises them a child.
❓God asks Abram to pack up his household and go to an unknown place. Would you do that?
Abram immediately does so. This is part of a long test for Abraham to prove his faith to God.
❓ What do you think was the hardest part of Abram’s journey?
❓ How do you feel when things are uncertain?
📘 Download the stories below:
