WUPJ Library

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.

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Professor Walter Homolka, Rector of the Abraham Geiger College , Germany What a strong and powerful picture that is! The prophet Joel surprises Israel with a most disturbing message: God is the commander of an army of locusts ready to overrun his holy mount in Zion, the Land of Israel. Not […]

By: Rabbi Lawrence A. Englander, Solel Congregation , Mississauga, Ontario Canada In most of our congregations, we say a prayer for the State of Israel. One popular version refers to Israel as reshit tz’michat ge’ulateynu, “the first flowering of our redemption.” This phrase is commonly understood to mean that the creation of the Jewish State […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Fred Morgan AM, Movement Rabbi, Union for Progressive Judaism Australia, New Zealand and Asia (UPJ) Of Magic and Miracle I’m a fan of magic. It’s remarkable what magicians can do, especially some of the contemporary performers who do their magic anywhere – in a theatre, at a table or on the […]

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 Bar Ephraim, Or Chadasch , Zurich, Switzerland, and co-chair of the European Bet Din. Changing your World Pharaoh and the Israelites have one thing in common: they are unable to think of something other than their perception of the order of the world. They are tied up in their own world view. It […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Paul Jacobson, Emanuel Synagogue , Sydney, Australia A number of years ago, I enjoyed a conversation with a rabbinic colleague en route to Ben Gurion Airport from Jerusalem. My colleague had just celebrated the birth of her daughter and was talking about the challenge of managing her child’s needs, all of […]

By: Rabbi Joel Oseran , Vice President, International Development, World Union for Progressive Judaism , Jerusalem Our weekly Torah portion, Va’Era,  (Exodus 6:2 – 9:35) introduces the classic biblical account of the 10 plagues, pitting the God of the Hebrews (using the letters Yod, Heh, Vav, Hey or “Adonai” as we pronounce the letters) against Pharaoh […]

By: Rabbi Dr. Walter Rothschild, Landesrabbiner of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany When God introduces ‘Himself’ to Moses he makes a remarkable statement: “I am the God who appeared already to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as ‘El Shaddai’, but I was not known to them by my name YHVH.” This raises the obvious question: Why not? I won’t press […]

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 […]