About Us
How It All Began
We’re two sisters who grew up surrounded and embraced by loving Jewish communities in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. We moved around a lot in our childhood but were always able to find a sense of home wherever we went.
When our kids went away to university, we found ourselves wanting a ready-made, affordable, all-in-one solution to help them maintain their Jewish identities. We never found just what we were looking for, and so… JewJu Box was born.
The first seed of the idea that became JewJu Box was born in a Thornhill grocery store when Ellen found herself daydreaming about how wonderful it would be to have Passover supplies delivered to her door, rather than needing to make the trek north every year.
At the same time, Judy was fielding calls from her children, who were both living away during university, and asking her to send them this or that Jewish item for Shabbat or the holidays.
Together, they realized there was a real need for “starter kits” for those beginning a Jewish life away from “home” and those living far from a Jewish centre. That’s how JewJu Box was born.
More About the Sisters
Judy Silver
Judy is, perhaps first and foremost, a Blue Jays fan — a devoted diehard and perennial optimist. When she’s not cheering on the home team, she is almost guaranteed to be teaching and learning about Jewish culture and spirituality.
In 2019, Judy accepted her dream job as Director of Education at Temple Har Zion, her childhood and family shul, and the place where her Jewish education began almost 40 years ago. She has also served as Director of Education at Kol Ami in Thornhill and Shir Tikvah in Minneapolis, and taught at Bialik Hebrew Day school in Toronto. Judy holds a Religious Education Master’s and a Reform Jewish Educator’s Certificate from Hebrew Union College.
Judy loves to bake and to sing, and she also boasts a vast collection of Charlie Brown and “Peanuts” paraphernalia — a collection started in childhood. Her favourite thing to do, though, is to spend time with her family: her children, Toby, Sharon, and Jeremiah, and her husband, Ian.
Ellen Morrow
Ellen lives in the decidedly un-Jewish (but otherwise very lovely) Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto.
A retired public school teacher with over four decades of experience in education, Ellen taught religious school at Temple Har Zion in Thornhill for more than 20 years before deciding to turn her passion for teaching into a full-time career. Of Har Zion, she likes to say that her claim to fame in Toronto Jewish culture is having had her Bat Mitzvah at the congregation’s first Shabbat service.
Ellen grew up in Montreal, Ottawa, Thornhill, and Toronto, and has been married to her loving husband Mark for more than 40 years. She is a mother to two adult sons, Adam and Jacob, and one Morris-like cat, Maya. She loves camping, especially with friends, and enjoys hiking, exploring and being outdoors. Ellen is an avid reader, an unapologetic joyful crier, and a diligent hobby-beader — often making custom hand-beaded kippahs for friends and family.