In this week’s Torah portion, Chukkat, we read: “The community was without water and they joined against Moses and Aaron”. This reaction from the community is not a big surprise. After Miriam’s death earlier in the chapter, finding water became one of the greatest concerns for the people of Israel.
On May 23-24, the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), the Institute for Modern Jewish Studies and the Russian State University of Humanities (RSUH) in Moscow, in cooperation with The Department for Diaspora Activities, the Department for Zionist Activities in Israel and Combatting against Antisemitism of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) held a momentous academic […]
More than 30 years ago, modern Reform Jewish life began in the Former Soviet Union. Since then, the Reform Movement has flourished, establishing strong roots in the FSU and offering a wide variety of activity in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic States. The more than 40 WUPJ-associated congregations in the FSU receive professional staff […]
For more than 15 years, the Passover Project has sent rabbinic students from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion to Reform congregations across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus to lead Passover celebrations. Every year, students join growing congregations for traditional and innovative programs and services designed to bolster the communities.
In August 2017, the World Union and its partner region in Latin America, Union for Reform Judaism (URJ-AmLat), launched the Iberoamerican Institute for Reform Rabbinical Education in Buenos Aires to recruit and train rabbis and educators for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Reform congregations. As the first school of its kind in the region, the Iberoamerican Institute lays vital groundwork for the growth of Reform Judaism across Latin America.
On March 18, more than 200 members of the Jewish communities as well as representatives of Christian congregations, non-governmental organizations, diplomats, schoolchildren, students, foreign visitors and residents of Grodno gathered at “March of Remembrence” in Grodno to honor the memory of Grodno ghetto demolition that happened 75 years ago. The event began with prayer led […]
2017 was a significant for Netzer Olami. As a movement that’s been actively engaging youth in Reform Judaism and Zionism for more than thirty years, our snifim are reporting growth and vibrancy in responding to the changes taking place across the Jewish world. Read our annual review here.
Hanukkah was celebrated by Progressive communities large and small across Russia, each congregation celebrated in its own special way. In Tyumen, the Madregot community organized a Jewish culture festival from December 8-10. Tyumen congregation Community Spiritual Leader Igor Varkin and Chair Elena Mozgovaya, along with Cantor Dmitry Karpenko, took part in all events. The culmination of […]
The “Shirat Hayam” community’s autumn family Shabbaton in Odessa brought together fifty participants of all ages in a picturesque location by the sea. The three wonderful days were filled with Jewish study, family activities, master classes, prayers, and intellectual games. The Shabbaton was also the opportunity to learn more about Diaspora Israel Day, recently celebrated in Reform communities around the world.
The Elul Seminar of the Eastern European Council of Reform Rabbis took place in Odessa in early September 2017, with six rabbis from across Russia, Belarus and Eastern Europe for coming together for a three-day seminar that fosters sharing ideas, stories and inspiration for preparing prayers, sermons and events for the upcoming Jewish month of Tishrei.