World Union for Progressive Judaism

Category Archives: CONNECTIONS

Global Leadership Connections 2025

Professional and lay leaders who want to set the Progressive global agenda – mark your calendars!   đź“… October 22 – October 25, 2025 đź“Ť Beit Shmuel, Jerusalem   More info to follow.

WUPJ Connections 2023 | Rabbi Sergio Bergman Keynote Address

President Rabbi Sergio Bergman committed the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) to inclusivity, innovation and grassroots community leadership in his keynote speech at Connections 2023. Addressing more than 250 Progressive Jewish leaders attending from around the world, he described a vision of WUPJ as a connector that supports and empowers Progressive Jewish communities as […]

Wrapping up Connections 2023

Connections 2023, our WUPJ biennial in Jerusalem, is now over. But the connections made and renewed — all energizing and empowering our communities across the globe — will seed opportunity and growth for our Progressive Movement far into the future.    “It was a chance to dream together, to learn from each other, to celebrate […]

Comparing a locally grown etrog (left) with Israeli imports in Indonesia.

[ASIA] Sukkot in Asia 5779

This year Sukkot was celebrated by WUPJ Communities across the Asian continent this year with much joy and in a uniquely Asian style. At the United Jewish Congregation in Hong Kong, their Sukkah frame survived the lashings of Typhoon Mangkhut which swept through the city before Yom Kippur. Luckily there was no s’kach covering on […]

Connecting with Ohel Jakov in Lisbon, Rosh Hashana 2018

[PORTUGAL] Rosh Hashanah in Lisbon: A Tale of Discovering Connections and Family

Earlier this year, while I was diarising our summer cruise dates, I realised that we would land in Lisbon the morning before Rosh Hashanah. I knew we had a Progressive/Reform kehillah there – Ohel Jakov – as I had had the pleasure of meeting some of the community members four years earlier; and so I contacted their passionate leader and champion – Adriana de Souza – and arranged for us to join them for dinner and a service on Erev Rosh Hashanah, in their proudly sacred space– a five room apartment (up three flights of stairs, in an old building, hidden away in a suburb of Lisbon), which they had recently reorganised, repainted and refreshed. They had a “synagogue”, library, meeting/dining room, office and kitchen with a small balcony.

The World Union’s 2017 Annual Report

We are pleased to share the World Union for Progressive Judaism 2017 Annual Report highlighting our accomplishments, activities, and financial results. We thank you for your support and partnership in growing and strengthening Reform Judaism across the world. To download a pdf version of our Annual report, click here: The World Union’s Annual Report 2017.

Resolutions Presented at the International Assembly of the World Union May 2017

In accordance with protocol, Carole Sterling as chair empaneled a resolutions committee to spearhead the process of requesting, formulating and editing possible resolutions to be introduced before the IA at the meeting on 17-May 2017, at 14.00-16.30, in Jerusalem, prior to the opening of CONNECTIONS 2017. The committee was chaired by Philip Bliss of Australia, […]

Reflecting on Twenty Years of Directing Netzer Olami and Tamar

In the summer of 1994, I set out for North America with my wife and two children as a shaliach (emissary) to the North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), the North American branch of the Reform youth movement. My service in the U.S. was cut short due to my wife Tikva’s cancer diagnosis, but […]