WUPJ Library

The controversy over the recent Israeli Cabinet decision to affirm a pluralistic space in the southern area of the Kotel (Robinson’s Arch) continues to gain force, even threatening to bring down the present coalition government. Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) rabbinic figures have once again resorted to lambasting Reform Judaism and our rabbis with outrageous slurs: […]

Recent Issues By Rabbi Dr. Walter Rothschild, State Rabbi of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. We are still in the early parts of the Book of Leviticus, a book which many Reform Jews find rather mysterious, gruesome and, frankly, boring. This is a pity because it is full of fascinating details concerning means of communication with God – […]

by Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El , Atlanta, Georgia, and past President of Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) It’s all about being different, about being ‘other’. Had such been chronologically feasible, our Sedra would certainly have endorsed Shakespeare’s non-gender inclusive statement that “apparel oft doth proclaim the man.” The text […]

by Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor, Vice President, Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism When I was growing up, I was a member of what might now be called a “Classical Reform” congregation. The clergy was robed in clerical vestments; an organ rang out loud enough to shake the rafters (which were seemingly miles high). A […]

by Rabbi Steve Burnstein , Director, Anita Saltz International Education Center , Jerusalem It’s wonderful having an office overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. When the weather is nice I sometimes skip lunch in favor of exploring the winding alleys of Jerusalem. It’s an opportunity for a bit of much needed exercise in addition to […]

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. In July 1974, our world lost one of the most distinguished Assyriologists of his generation, Adolf Leo Oppenheim. Some 10 years earlier he published his book […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Natan M. Landman is a retired U.S. Air Force Chaplain with extensive experience as a teacher of Judaism The Dynamics of Levitical Sacrifice Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the Lord, he shall choose his offering from the […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Sheryl Nosan-Lantzke , Founding Rabbi of Jewish Spirituality Australia and The Hebrew Mini-Miracle Five-Hour Course Tiramisu. My husband’s favourite late night treat is tiramisu, and I love to buy it for him from our corner shop. We linger over precious, sweet, rich moments in the quiet of the evening after the […]

Vayikra, the third book of the Torah, is known in the tradition as “Torat Cohanim”, dealing as it does with many laws concerning the priests and their role in leading the people in service to God… The Lubavich Rabbi commented that, “Being the most difficult to understand, the Book of Vayikra demands more effort from its reader, which in turn lifts the reader to new heights of understanding and spiritual achievement.” Of all the books in the Torah, Vayikra challenges us to think about what it means to live by the Torah’s precepts and what it means to be in service to God.

by Rabbi John Levi , Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne, Australia There is a perpetual quarrel between Exodus and Leviticus. The Book of Exodus is high drama. It takes us through the departure from Egypt and the revelation at Mt. Sinai. It dashes our dreams with the episode of the molten calf […]

By Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, Jerusalem, Israel Jewish tradition maintains that when children begin their religious studies, the first text that they encounter should be the Book of Leviticus, the third Book of the Torah. Leviticus Rabbah 7:3 suggests, ‘Let those who are pure and without sin begin with the study of the laws of […]

by Rabbi Michael Dolgin, Senior Rabbi, Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto , Toronto, Canada Looking at Parashat Vayikra, all I can think is: out of the frying pan and into the fire!  The last 5 weeks of parashiyot from the book of Shmot/Exodus have been very challenging.  With the exception of the story of the […]