My brother-in-law has many talents. In addition to playing the banjo, he’s a builder and carpenter; attorney specializing in environmental issues; and all around good guy. But his passion is olive farming. This year, with the help of volunteers from around the world as well as extended friends and family from our home at Kibbutz Gezer, he harvested two tons of olives. In many ways he embodies A.D. Gordon’s “Religion of Labor” and the philosophy of Labor Zionism.
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Naamah Kelman, the Dean of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem Recently I participated on a panel discussing Intermarriage. This was for an Israeli audience and for many of them; the very issue of Intermarriage is just another indication of the decline of Jewry outside of Israel. It was […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Danny Burkeman, Rabbi at the Community Synagogue in Port Washington, New York, USA. He is a former Board member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) Empowering the People When I think back to my time in RSY-Netzer (the Reform Jewish Youth movement in Britain) I find it hard to […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Samuel M. Cohon, Senior Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El , Tucson, Arizona, USA The Song to the Violent God “ God (YHVH) is a man of war! YHVH is His Name! ” — Exodus 15:3 The Torah portion of B’Shalach is justly famous for two reasons. First, it tells the great tale of […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Meir Azari, Senior Rabbi of the Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism , Tel Aviv, and Israel The Exodus from Egypt through Moses’s Eyes In the heart of Parashat Bo lies the story of the people of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Over the years, so much has been written about this journey […]
hen reading this week’s Parasha, Parashat Bo, we learn not only about the additional plagues that were not mentioned in last week’s portion, and not only about the preparations for the very first Passover, but we discover when, why, and who went out of Egypt and were delivered by God. The chapter does not specify names of Jewish families or a list of those who came out of Egypt, but does answer some questions such as “when did the Exodus start?” and perhaps even gives a hint on how to make this important Jewish event a success.
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs, former President of World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) and Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel , West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. “Why didn’t God Just Soften Pharaoh’s Heart? “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart … (and he) will not listen to you.” (Exodus 7:3-4) I vividly remember the first […]
By: Rabbi Burt E. Schuman, Beit Warszawa Foundation, Warsaw Poland. The Courage to Struggle Imagine that you have been chosen to lead a struggle for the freedom and self-determination of your people against a seemingly all-powerful and invincible foe. Like the leaders of the great human rights struggles of the last century, you have nothing […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Neal Borovitz, Rabbi Emeritus Temple Avodat Shalom , River Edge, New Jersey, USA What is in a name? Names both distinguish us from each other and also can denote our relationships one to the other. This week we begin the reading of the Book of Exodus, which is called in Hebrew, […]
Recent Issues By: Rabbi Norman T. Roman, M.A.H.L., R.J.E., D.D., Temple Kol Ami, West Bloomfield , Michigan, USA “ Earning the Blessing of Israel ” “ Earning the Blessing of Israel ” “Jacob said to Joseph: ‘Your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt, shall be mine. Ephraim and Menasseh […]
