WUPJ Library

By: Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor, Vice President – Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism “The Rabbi and the Rosary” All stories that teach a lesson are “true,” but some are also factual. This story is true and factual… Based on an event that occurred in 1999 Although my role as Program Chair of the International […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Lisa J. Grushcow, D.Phil., Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom , Montreal, Canada Identity and Authenticity “These are the generations of Isaac son of Abraham; Abraham begat Isaac” (Gen. 25:19). The rabbis who commented on the opening words of our parasha were anxious. The presenting problem was the repetition: if the Torah has already […]

By: Rabbi Lea Muehlstein, Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue , Northwood, United Kingdom Sibling Rivalry Most of us bear these scars: marks on our body that remind us of the downside of having siblings. When my sisters and I were little, my mum used to say: “bis der Erste weint – until the first one […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Natan Landman, author of Make It Short, Rabbi: Brief Jewish Lessons from Scripture and Take Words with You: Sermons and Addresses of a Lifetime What Goes Around, Comes Around “Now, my son, listen to me: flee at once to Haran to my brother, Laban. Stay with him a while until your […]

By: Rabbi Reba Carmel, Reconstructionist Rabbi since 2009, freelance writer, teacher, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Jewish Dialogue Group Sara’s Tent and the Next Generations Isaac then brought her (Rebekah) into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his […]

By: Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky, Beit Shalom Progressive Synagogue , Adelaide, South Australia Fraternal Strivings This Shabbat, our congregation will celebrate the b’not mitzvah of fraternal twin girls. In our small synagogue, we have only three or four b’nai mitzvah celebrations in a year, so the girls had their pick of Torah readings, and this was […]

By: Rabbi Richard G Lampert, Rabbi Emeritus, North Shore Temple Emanuel , Chatswood, NSW, Australia Recent Issues “ This is the story of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac ”(Genesis 25: 19). Our sages hold that there is nothing superfluous in the Torah – if something is repeated, there must be a reason for […]

By: Rabbi Danny Burkeman, West London Synagogue “The Rebound Patriarch” In one of my earlier jobs, my arrival coincided with the Chief Executive moving on to take on new challenges in another sector. There was a great deal of disappointment surrounding this man’s departure as he was highly respected within the community, and had really […]

By: Rabbi Joan Glazer Farber, Interim Director of Education, Congregation B’nai Yisrael , Armonk, NY Rebekah: A Model for Positive Self-Esteem Eliezer is on a mission. A mission for Abraham and a mission for God. If he succeeds, Abraham will be reassured that the brit which God had made with him will be fulfilled. If […]

Recent Issues By: Rabbi Jordan D. Cohen, Senior Rabbi, Temple Anshe Sholom , Hamilton, Ontario, Canada The Journey from Ger to Toshav to Jew “Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife (Sarah) and spoke to the Hittites, saying, ‘I am a resident alien among you; sell me a burial site among you, that I […]

The Torah portion Chayei Sarah, beginning with Genesis chapter twenty-four verse one says; “And Abraham was old, and well advanced in age; and the Eternal had blessed Abraham in all things.” This verse reminds us to question the meaning of having made it in life. Popular culture typically defines ‘making it’ as achieving wealth, a great career, even a well-adjusted family, and being acknowledged by one’s peers. Feeling like “I made a difference’ is another kind of catch phrase that we use to encourage people to do well and asses their effectiveness in life. It is not about where we live so much as what we are doing with our lives that supposedly matters most of all.

Recent Issues By Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor, Vice President, Philanthropy, World Union for Progressive Judaism In Praise of Three Women It was with jubilation that many of us learned of Sasha Lutt as she became bat mitzvah. Now it is almost ubiquitous to learn that a young Jewish woman is called to the Torah as […]