Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE

Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE (she/her), is the Union for Reform Judaism’s  executive director of strategic innovation and program for camps, youth & immersives.  A longtime Jewish educator, author, and speaker, she holds a master’s degree in Jewish education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.  Michelle is a recipient of the 2015 Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education and an active member of Temple Sholom in Scotch Plains, NJ, where her husband, Joel Abraham, serves as the rabbi.

Shards of Glass: A Poem for the New Year

Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE
Remind my tired soul, I beg You / My kitchen is far too clean and the china is still in the basement / Remind me how to stop the mourning / for tables that don’t need extensions / quiet synagogues with no children to be shushed...

4 Ways to Talk to Teens after the Pittsburgh Shooting

Dr. Betsy Stone
Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE
On Saturday night, I asked my 15-year-old son how he was doing. Was he scared? Overwhelmed? As I listened to him, my heart broke – but I couldn’t deny his reality. For him, this act of hate was terrible. And heartbreaking. And normal.

After Terror: 5 Jewish Ways to Help Kids Deal

Michelle Shapiro Abraham, MAJE, RJE
Jewish tradition provides wisdom on how to handle these moments – both as parents and as individuals: Don’t be afraid to learn. Take large actions. Embrace small acts. Tell the stories to your children, and know when to let it go.