WUPJ News
[GLOBAL] 2018 Summer Camp Roundup
A lifetime of Jewish connections in one summer! The WUPJ 2018 Youth Camping Report highlights the impact of our international camping movement throughout the world, featuring statistics and locations of summer camps, counselors in key countries around the world!
The World Union Mourns a Legend and Leader for our Global Movement
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Gerard Daniel at the age of 102, on Friday, December 14th.
Gerry served as President of the WUPJ from 1980-1988. His legacy of leadership and vision blesses us to this very day. He and his wife Ruth were lifelong builders of Reform Judaism, as you can read in the reflection shared by Rabbi Meir Azari here.
His leadership changed the landscape of Reform Judaism in Israel. During his tenure as World Union President, Gerry partnered with WUPJ Executive Director Rabbi Dick Hirsch to design, fund and construct Beit Shmuel, the World Union’s headquarters in Jerusalem.
Reflecting on the Legacy of Gerard Daniel z”l
Gerard Daniel passed away on December 14, 2018 at the age of 102.
The world will be a different place without Gerry Daniel. Gerry’s personality, energy, wisdom and heart were larger than life. He was a natural story teller with a keen eye for detail and his memory was bar none remarkable. He related to people — so many people from so many walks of life fell in love with Gerry.
[ISRAEL] Bringing Light Unto Others: MASA FSU Participants Celebrate Chanukah with Holocaust Survivors in Jerusalem
During the holiday celebrations of Chanukah, as if inspired by the light brought into our dark, winter evenings, students from the Former Soviet Union who are participating in a MASA leadership program, participated in a meaningful and purposeful evening.
[AUSTRALIA] Making Progress: Highlights from the UPJ Biennial in Melbourne
The UPJ Biennial, held in Melbourne, Australia on 15-18 November, hosted more than 220 attendees from around the UPJ region (which covers Australia, New Zealand and Asia), with additional representatives from the UK, Israel and the US.
[HONG KONG] Teen Shabbaton of Asian Progressive Judaism (APJ) Takes Over Hong Kong
Twenty-one teens gathered from four Asian cities for the Asia Progressive Judaism (APJ) Teen Shabbaton, held in Hong Kong from 23rd- 25th November. Teens from Progressive communities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and for the first time, Beijing took part.
[UKRAINE] In their Own Words: Reflecting on the Second Biennial of the Religious Union of Progressive Jewish Communities in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
The WUPJ Conference in Odessa was an excellent platform for participants to study and discuss the ideology and mission of our Movement. Representatives of the communities of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, along with youth leaders and activists from Netzer participated in lively discussions about the future of the movement, about the priorities that we want to set for ourselves over the next two years and expressed opinions on how to build a link between different generations in communities.
[BRUSSELS] Shabbaton of the European Union for Progressive Judaism (EUPJ) Celebrates the Growth Our Movement Across the Region
“One building, two communities” isn’t just a catchy phrase. This is a reality for International Jewish Center (IJC) and Beth Hillel congregations in Brussels. Since last January, both progressive communities have effectively begun co-habiting in the spacious and beautiful building of Beth Hillel.
[ITALY] The Future is Now: The Second General Assembly of the Italian Federation for Progressive Judaism (FIEP)
The second general assembly of the Italian Federation for Progressive Judaism (FIEP) was held on 4 November on the theme ‘The future is Now’. Introduced by the co-presidents’ report, Franca Eckert Coen and Joyce Bigio, the morning continued with a constructive and lively debate on the current state and perspectives of the Jewish Progressive Movement in Italy.
Turning Words into Action
One of my favourite quotes, by Martin Nieumöller, and a modern day adaptation of it that I found on Twitter. I share them now because they’re something that we can all learn from.