WUPJ Library

Jews of all denominations tend to talk about ourselves in collective terms: ‘Progressive Jews’; ‘Liberal Jews’; ‘Reform Jews’; ‘Reconstructionist Jews’; ‘Orthodox Jews’; ‘Chassidic Jews’; ‘Secular Jews’; ‘Cultural Jews’; ‘Socialist Jews’; ‘Radical Jews’ … Some of these terms connect with actual organisational structures – like the ‘World Union for Progressive Judaism’. Meanwhile, ‘Chassidic Jews’, for example, […]

There are parts of the Torah that catch our eye just because of the way they are inscribed on the scroll itself. Key letters are adorned with ‘crowns’, sometimes extra dots appear above words and in some cases letters are enlarged. In this week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim-Vayeilech, there are unusual dots over the words lanu […]

By Rabbi Mark H. Levin, DHL, Congregation Beth Torah, Overland Park, Kansas Atem Nitzavim is read twice in the annual Torah reading cycle in Reform congregations:  in its proper place in the order of weekly portions and again, in part, on Yom Kippur morning. The parashah opens with the famous spiritual/historical promise that all Israel […]

by Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, Rabbi of the Religious Union for Progressive Judaism in the Republic of Belarus Perhaps one of the tasks of our weekly Parasha – Nitzavim-Vayelech – is to show the accessibility of the Torah. At the beginning of the chapter we read that everyone, including Jews of different classes and occupations, women and […]

by Ra bbi Dr. Walter Rothschild; Landesrabbiner for Schleswig-Holstein , Germany ; Rabbi of Or Chadasch , Vienna , Austria .

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Peter Knobel, Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Emet the Free Synagogue, Evanston, Illinois, USA The Blessing and the Curse Ki Tavo is a very challenging Torah portion. Theologically it conditions blessing and curses to the faithful observance of the Divine commands. The fate of the people is directly related to their behavior. […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Fred Morgan AM, Emeritus Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne, Australia The portion Ki Tavo concludes Moses’ discourse to the people Israel with a set of blessings and curses, the consequences of their actions in following or rejecting God’s commands. Jewish tradition has never felt comfortable with these tokhachot , or […]

by Rabbi Jordi Gendra, Temple Beth Shalom of Greater Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg PA “ And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, “These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people when ye have come over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin. And these shall stand upon […]

by Rabbi Steve Burnstein, Director, Anita Saltz International Education Center , Jerusalem A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure of spending a morning with a delightful group of young adults who were in Israel on a seminar of Jung and Jüdisch (Young and Jewish). Young and Jewish is the German affiliate of […]

by Rabbi Ferenc Raj, PhD, Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Beth El , Berkeley, CA, USA, and founding Rabbi, Congregation Bet Orim , Budapest, Hungary Perhaps the most recognized part of the Torah portion Ki Tavo is the long list of divine blessings and the even longer list of curses, or using the traditionally accepted term for […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Rene Pfertzel, The Liberal Jewish Synagogue , London, UK While we were reading the commandment to honour one’s parents in the Decalogue, a Bar-Mitzvah boy told me: “I have a problem with this text. I am not sure if I love my parents”. A teenager’s love for parents is somehow complicated, […]

by Rabbi Burt E. Schuman, Senior Rabbi, Beit Warszawa , Warszawa Our Torah portion for this week, Parashat Ki Tavo, begins with two rituals incumbent upon the Israelites when they have settled in the land of Israel, rituals of Thanksgiving and of tithing described in Chapter 26, Verses 1-19. These rituals that reflect not only […]