WUPJ Library

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 […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Melanie Aron, Congregation Shir Hadash , Los Gatos, California Lifting the Burden of Unforgiven Pain Anachronistically, I sometimes imagine Joseph in therapy, deciding that his family is too toxic and that he is better off not being in touch with them. After all we have to wonder how the man, who is […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, Religious Union for Progressive Judaism in the Republic of Belarus; Rabbi of the Sandra Breslauer “Beit Simcha” Center in Minsk. Miracles of our Holiday, our Chapter and our Life Miracles of our Holiday, our Chapter and our Life It may seem that for Hanukkah one should study less than […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Fred Morgan, Emeritus Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne / Professorial Fellow, Australian Catholic University A man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you seeking?” He said, “I am seeking my brothers….” The story of Joseph is one of the most unsettling in Torah. […]

Recent Issues By: Benjie Gruber, Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism , Arava Region and Eilat Mistakes from our Ancestors from Generation to Generation In the Torah Portion we read this week, Vayishlach [ and he sent, Jacob sending messengers to his brother ] there is a small incident from which I believe we can learn […]