WUPJ Library

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah, Rabbi of Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue , UK Studies in Masculinity The story of Joseph is amongst the most well-known in the Hebrew Bible – a mini novella, occupying the last four parashiyot of the Torah – Vayeishev, Mikeitz, Vayigash and Vayechi (Genesis 37:1-50:26). At its heart […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Fred Morgan, Emeritus Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne / Professorial Fellow, Australian Catholic University A man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you seeking?” He said, “I am seeking my brothers….” The story of Joseph is one of the most unsettling in Torah. […]

Recent Issues Succeeding Beyond all Expectations ב וַיְהִי יְהוָה אֶת-יוֹסֵף וַיְהִי אִישׁ מַצְלִיחַ וַיְהִי בְּבֵית אֲדֹנָיו הַמִּצְרִי ג וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי יְהוָה אִתּוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-הוּא עֹשֶׂה יְהוָה מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ ד וַיִּמְצָא יוֹסֵף חֵן בְּעֵינָיו וַיְשָׁרֶת אֹתוֹ וַיַּפְקִדֵהוּ עַל-בֵּיתוֹ וְכָל-יֶשׁ-לוֹ נָתַן בְּיָדוֹ (בראשית לט: ב-ד) “ The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful […]

By: Rabbi Donna Kirshbaum, rabbi of String of Pearls – Jewish reconstructionist congregation of Princeton, NJ, and member of JWI’s Clergy Task Force on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community Recent Issues Who grows and changes most in the Joseph saga? The last four parshiot of Genesis – beginning with this week’s parsha, VaYeshev – […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Alona Lisitsa , HUC-JIR Jerusalem, Rabbinic Internship and Mentoring – Israeli Rabbinic program; Liturgy and Rabbinic Texts – YII program The weekly portion, Veyeshev, starts with the story of Joseph’s youth and ends with him being imprisoned in Egypt. The major part of the weekly portion tells us about Joseph and his relationships […]

Chanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev because that was the day of the re-dedication of the Temple according to the Book of Maccabees. The coincidence of the Maccabee victory being recorded as having taken place on the Shabbat on which we hear hearing about Joseph is just that, a coincidence.

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Mark L. Winer, President of the Florida Democratic Party Caucus of American Jews and President of FAITH: the Foundation to Advance Interfaith Trust and Harmony . “A Time for Healing” The American presidential campaign has been painful. A mutual demonization of the opposing candidate has left many Americans feeling angry, distrustful, […]

Recent Issues By: Benjie Gruber, Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism , Arava Region and Eilat Mistakes from our Ancestors from Generation to Generation In the Torah Portion we read this week, Vayishlach [ and he sent, Jacob sending messengers to his brother ] there is a small incident from which I believe we can learn […]

By: Rabbi Megan Doherty, Senior Jewish Fellow and Associate Rabbi, Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale , Connecticut, USA Jacob the Liar “He’s a heel,” my grandfather Fed used to say, describing someone who was untrustworthy in business or in friendship. Perhaps as a result of my grandfather’s teaching, I work very hard […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Steve Burnstein , director of the WUPJ Anita Saltz International Education Center I love my children. They really are quite amazing. We’re looking forward to parent-teacher conferences this week. Multiple times teachers have told us they wish they could clone our kids; that they are absolutely charming and well-mannered youngsters. We […]

By: Rabbi Danny Burkeman, The Community Synagogue , Port Washington, NY The Pride of our Name In 1947 the United Nations adopted the Partition Plan for Palestine which proposed the creation of two states – one Jewish and one Arab – in the following year. This vote approved the creation of a Jewish State, but […]

By: Rabbi Dr. John Levi, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Israel , Melbourne, Australia “Angels” Have you met any aggressive angels recently? Our patriarch Jacob did. The encounter changed his life and his name and, forever afterwards, he would walk with a limp. Angels make frequent appearances in Jewish tradition. Well, we call them “angels”, […]