WUPJ Library

By Rabbi Josh Jacobs-Velde, Rabbi of Congregation Ohev Tzedek , Youngstown, OH A recent experience got me thinking about the connections between the mitzvot of food justice from parashat Ki Tetzei and my own life. First, a little background: my family and I are part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in Youngstown, OH.  For […]

by Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El , Atlanta, Georgia, and immediate past President of ARZA “ If, along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs and the mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the […]

by Rabbi Rich Kirschen, Director, The Anita Saltz International Education Center of  the World Union for Progressive Judaism Last week I wrote about my concern that Chelsea Clinton’s wedding represented (if you will) the danger for Jews when we live in a society that loves us too much. However in the end of this week’s […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Grisha Abramovich, Rabbi of the Union for Progressive Judaism in the Republic of Belarus and the Sandra Breslauer “ Beit Simcha ” center in Minsk. Communal Responsibility Our chapter starts with the commandment “You shall appoint magistrates and officials and they will govern the people with true justice”. We have the […]

Recent Issues Parashat Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9) By: Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins, Emanuel Synagogue , Woollahra, Australia ON AUTHORITY AND AUTONOMY The tension between authority and autonomy lies at the heart of Shoftim, a parasha which contains around 50 mitzvot, many of them dealing with forms of government – the power of the judge, prophet and king, […]

by Rabbin Pauline Bebe, Communauté juive libérale – Ile de France , Paris, France, Ce n’est pas juste! Qui n’a pas prononcé ces mots une fois dans sa vie? Enfant, adolescent, adulte, la conscience de l’injustice, la révolte qu’elle inspire nous donne un sentiment aïgu d’humanité. Nous existons à ce moment parce que précisément notre […]

Recent Issues by Rabbi Ferenc Raj, PhD, Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Beth El,  Berkeley, CA, USA; Founding Rabbi, Congregation Bet Orim, Budapest, Hungary Like many Yiddish words that are part and parcel of the vocabulary of American Jews, “bashert” is hard to translate. Most often “bashert” and “basherte,” are used to describe one’s soulmate, though we […]

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 […]