WUPJ Library

More News By: Rabbi Paul Golomb, Senior Scholar, Vassar Temple , Poughkeepsie, NY An old joke regarding the Torah characterizes Exodus as the book in which two big things happen. One is the revelation at Mt. Sinai, and the other takes place in this week’s portion: the crossing of the Red Sea. The flight from […]

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 Neal I Borovitz, Rabbi Emeritus Temple Avodat Shalom , River Edge NJ. Sing Unto God!! In Memory of Debbie Friedman Our Torah reading this Shabbat includes the Song at the Sea, the poem sung by Moses and the Israelites after they traverse the Sea of Reeds unharmed. The Zohar, the mystical […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Walter Homolka, rector of the Abraham Geiger College for the training of rabbis and a professor of Jewish Studies at Potsdam University in Germany This Shabbat is called Shabbat Shira, because this week’s Torah reading, B’shalah, includes Shirat Hayam , the song the Israelites sang after they crossed the Red Sea. […]

By: Rabbi Danny Burkeman, Associate Rabbi, West London Synagogue , London, UK “From Miriam to Debbie” Music has a tremendous power to move us emotionally and to bring memories and feelings flooding back. The Shema of Debbie Friedman z”l has that power over me. No matter where I hear it and in what context, if […]

By: Rabbi Dr. Mark L. Winer, Ph.D., D.D., West London Synagogue of British Jews As we read B’Shallach this week, it is just a year since the end of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.  Progressive Jews in Israel and around the world continue to agonize over the war and its aftermath.  Although some progressive […]

More News By: Rabbi Stanley M. Davids, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El , Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and past President of Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) “Seeing Beyond the Blackberries” There is a wondrous cultural center/restaurant in Jaffa that is known as Na Laga’at (Please Touch!). It houses a theater in which performances are carried […]

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 […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, rabbi of the United Congregation of Israelites in Kingston, Jamaica, and former rabbi of Temple B’nai Israel in Albany, Georgia. Renewing Ourselves and Advancing Through the Contemplation of Wisdom What does philosophical contemplation have to do with the commandment to prepare a ritual meal remembering the exodus? Let […]

By: Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor Vice President, Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ), New York Recent Issues We All Stand Together As we approach the turning of the secular calendar, I often think back over events in my life. Prompted by this week’s parasha, Bo, certain moments come into clear focus. As we approach […]

What is it that makes the Jews a people? Rashi asked that question in 11th century France in the very first comment of his Torah commentary. The first verse of Genesis describes the creation of the universe, but Rashi asks should it not have been a verse from our portion this week where God addresses the whole community of Israel, Exodus 12:2, “this month [the month of Nisan containing Pesach] shall be for you the beginning of the months”?

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.