Ellmans Sponsor Creation of English Parasha Series

Elisa and Gavin Ellman wanted to honor Elisa’s parents, Simone and Julius Iteld, in a way that captured their lifetime dedication to Judaism and Jewish education.

With the recent publication of “The Parasha: The Iteld Edition,” by Koren Publishers Jerusalem, the Ellmans have memorialized the legacy of the Itelds with the five-set book collection for children. Initially published in only Hebrew, the Iteld Edition translates the Hebrew into English, beginning with Parasha (portion) Bereshit, when the world was created and Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and ending with Parasha Vezot Haberakha, when Moses blesses the tribes of Israel and dies at 120, passing along the leadership mantle to Joshua.

“For years, Gavin has had a tradition of learning the parasha each week with our children. When we wanted to honor my parents, we contacted Koren Jerusalem to discuss ideas. It was important to us that future generations understand the Torah and how meaningful it is to us as Jews. This project was a perfect fit for us,” said Elisa Ellman.

The series was created by Israeli journalist, radio host and children’s author, Emily Amrousi, who retells each Torah story in a sweet, sensitive tone that reaches young readers. Each volume retells the weekly parasha in an engaging, understandable style that is accessible for children aged 5-12, as well as older readers of all ages.

Illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt, an Israeli illustrator, cartoonist, storyteller and art director, each page brims with color, warmth and imagination, helping children visualize and connect with the characters and events depicted. Halberstadt was a National Jewish Book Award finalist and received an Israel Ministry of Culture award for his previous work.

(From left) Aryeh Grossman with Gavin and Elisa Ellman.

During the translation process, Rebecca Winter, PhD, the Atlanta Jewish Academy High School Judaic studies principal and a clinical neuropsychologist, reviewed the Hebrew text, ensuring that the English words reflected an egalitarian, Modern Orthodox viewpoint that any Jewish person would feel comfortable reading. Elisa also credits Rabbi Daniel Rose, director of educational projects, and Aryeh Grossman, director of development, at Koren Jerusalem, with helping to move the process forward to completion.

Each of the five books of the series is dedicated to a group of individuals important to the couple, including the Itelds, the Ellman children, their extended family, rabbis and teachers who have helped guide them and, finally, to Jewish service people in the U.S. military, IDF and to those who perished in the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

To commemorate the publication in late 2024, learning sessions were held on a Shabbat at Congregation Ohr HaTorah for adults and children. Four sessions were held, with one for infants through pre-kindergarten and their parents, another for kindergarten through sixth-grade students, a third for seventh grade through high school, and a fourth exclusively for adults. A panel discussion, “Bringing Family Members Together through the Parasha,” at Congregation Ariel in Dunwoody, was attended by approximately 50 people from throughout the community. Winter, Grossman and Marshall Duke, PhD, the Charles Howard Candler professor of psychology at Emory University, led the discussion. Rounding out the weekend, a reception was held at the Ellman home with author Amrousi present.

“What was especially meaningful to us was having the children’s sessions and seeing their love of learning Torah. We are very grateful to Rabbi Adam Starr at Congregation Ohr HaTorah for partnering with us and allowing us this opportunity to introduce the Parasha series in a thoughtful manner to our community and, hopefully, to the broader community as well,” said Gavin.

“My parents’ souls are being elevated every time a child reads a parasha from these books. Both of them had a long history of supporting Jewish education and day schools. We hope to replicate their efforts. Our goal is to instill every reader of the series with a sense of Jewish pride and give them ownership of their Judaism,” concluded Elisa.

“The Parasha Series: The Iteld Edition” is available at Judaica Corner in Toco Hills and on Amazon.