WUPJ Library

by Rabbi Fred Morgan, Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne, Australia During the coming week Australia will be holding its next national census.  The results are used to set governmental targets and spending priorities for the next five years, as well as keep statisticians and social commentators in business for many decades. All countries […]

By Rabbi Rich Kirschen, Director of the Anita Saltz International Education Center , The World Union for Progressive Judaism, Jerusalem So I just cannot let this go… this whole Chelsea Clinton Wedding thing… and I think this goes way beyond my obsession with the Clinton Dynasty (although I am still having a hard time letting […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Neal Borovitz, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Avodat Shalom , River Edge, New Jersey, USA Our Torah portion this week, marking the beginning of Moses’ farewell sermon to the people Israel begins with the words: “Re’eh Anochi noten lifnaychem hayom bracha uklalah.” {Deuteronomy 11:26} “Behold I have set before all of you, (the […]

Recent Issues Parashat Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17) By Rabbi Jordan D. Cohen D.D., Temple Anshe Sholom , Hamilton, Ontario According to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel in his classic work The Prophets , “The prophet is a lonely man. He alienates the wicked as well as the pious, the cynics as well as the believers, the priests […]

by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, City Shul , Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Twitter: @cityshul) The longest parsha of the book of Deuteronomy, Re’eh begins with a simple statement in chapter 11, verse 26: “ See! I am placing before you blessing and curse .” It seems like a choice, a gift freely given, a true example of […]

By Rabbi Steve Burnstein, Director, Anita Saltz International Education Center In April, 1983, I visited Israel for the first time as a participant on the High School in Israel program (before it became the Alexander Muss High School in Israel). It was an amazing, transformational experience that impacted the course of my life in many […]

by Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor, Vice President, Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism My beloved wife and I have been blessed with three children. Our youngest, Zach, is just about to begin his college studies, but I still remember holding him in the days of his infancy and as an infant, Zachary, had many lessons […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Erin Polansky, the founding rabbi of Neshamah Congregation , a Reform community just north of Toronto. The High Holy Days will be upon us before we know it. Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Are they big ones or small ones? This week’s Torah portion, Eikev , shows us […]

Recent Issues Parashat Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) By: Rabbi Paul (Shaul) R Feinberg, PhD, Associate Dean, Emeritus and Adjunct Associate Professor of Education, Emeritus; Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion , Jerusalem, Israel Thanksgiving for the Land and Its Bounty Thanksgiving for the Land and Its Bounty Thanksgiving for Being Thankful “…for the Eternal Your God […]

by Rabbi Katalin Kelemen, Spiritual Leader of Sim Shalom Synagogue , Budapest, Hungary. “ When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless… ” The sidra Ekev is named after its second word which means literally “on the heel of”, i.e. “in consequence of” your obedience. It starts with one of the prominent themes […]

By Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Movement Rabbi, Movement for Reform Judaism, UK In Parashat Ekev (עקב), Moses continues his speech to the Israelites, outlining the consequences of obeying or disobeying God’s commandments. The rewards of obedience include continuing to enjoy the benefits of the covenant – health, abundant produce and fertility. The Israelite’s enemies will be […]

by Rabbi Pauline Bebe, Communauté Juive Libérale , Centre Maayan – Paris, France The very name of this parasha – EKEV – is a drash in and of itself; no need to go further. Sometimes a mere utterance is worth a long speech. As one of my teachers, Rabbi Lionel Blue, used to say: you […]