Food Tourah: VeZot HaBerakhah

September 28, 2026 in Food Tourah

Parshat VeZot HaBerakhah – this week we complete the 54th and final parsha!

In VeZot HaBerakhah, Moses bids the Israelites a final farewell, giving each tribe a unique blessing. He then climbs Mount Nebo where God shows him the entire land of Israel – the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants. Though Moses would not enter it, he is granted the gift of seeing the land before he dies at age 120.  The Israelites mourn him for 30 days, providing the biblical basis for the practice of shloshim, the 30-day mourning period following a funeral.  The Torah ends by spotlighting Moses’ unequalled greatness. And, as our shaliach, Yoel Glezier, pointed out when he spoke last year, the final word is “Israel”.

With the completion of this year’s Torah reading, Sunset Soup is the perfect addition to this week’s menu. A warm vegetable soup that will hit the spot as you dine in your sukkah this week. Fifty-four parshiot is quite an accomplishment – dare we say a cause for celebration?  To start the party, you can enjoy either Oven-Baked Celebration Chicken or Celebration Salmon.  The chicken is described as “pure perfection,” while the salmon is a joy to look at and a joy to eat!  And by now you know that we’d never end an entry without a dessert recommendation.  Like the Torah itself, we’ll close with a shoutout to Israel.  We’re making Kadorei Shokolad, an Israeli childhood favorite.  This easy no-bake dessert is fun to make and delicious to eat:)

And with that, we have finished all five books of the Torah – 54 parshiot! Chazak, Chazak, Venitchazek! Is this really the end?

Definitely not. We began our food tour through the Torah two years ago. Alison did it to venture a little further into Torah, follow the delicious breadcrumbs, and see how they might lead to new connections between Judaism, food, and bringing people together. Sarah loves the kaleidoscope of Torah and is always happy to experience a different way of looking at it.

We may not write full new entries for each parsha, but we’ll keep exploring, making food connections and sharing new ideas that inspire us. Because while the Torah is not new each year, we are!

Have an idea for a new spin on this project or want to write a guest entry? Please direct message us. 😊

So, this is not our farewell address. Instead, we’ll say, l’hitraot! ✌️💙

B’tayavon and Shabbat Shalom,
Alison (Baraf) & Sarah (Roark)

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To read past installments of Food Tourah – Click Here.

For a more in-depth look at this week’s parsha, visit Sefaria.org.