WUPJ News

This year Sukkot was celebrated by WUPJ Communities across the Asian continent this year with much joy and in a uniquely Asian style. At the United Jewish Congregation in Hong Kong, their Sukkah frame survived the lashings of Typhoon Mangkhut which swept through the city before Yom Kippur. Luckily there was no s’kach covering on […]

Ten years after its first lay leaders paved the way for a congregation in Copenhagen, and eight years later in Stockholm, the Progressiv Judendom Stockholm is proud to present its new siddur – the first progressive Siddur in Sweden since 1877.

Earlier this year, while I was diarising our summer cruise dates, I realised that we would land in Lisbon the morning before Rosh Hashanah. I knew we had a Progressive/Reform kehillah there – Ohel Jakov – as I had had the pleasure of meeting some of the community members four years earlier; and so I contacted their passionate leader and champion – Adriana de Souza – and arranged for us to join them for dinner and a service on Erev Rosh Hashanah, in their proudly sacred space– a five room apartment (up three flights of stairs, in an old building, hidden away in a suburb of Lisbon), which they had recently reorganised, repainted and refreshed. They had a “synagogue”, library, meeting/dining room, office and kitchen with a small balcony.

Soon Jewish families and congregations around the world will be getting together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. Few are familiar with a Sephardic custom of a Rosh Hashanah Seder – a festive meal rich in symbolism. This new cookbook from the Reform Jewish Community of Madrid (English-language edition) is designed to teach people about this ancient tradition and – for those who are interested in organizing their own Seder – it provides recipes and tools to do it.

As we approach this New Year of change and promise, I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for the privilege I have felt serving as President of the World Union since 2014. 

Enjoy this video from the Union del Judaísmo Reformista (UJR-AmLat), for Reform and Progressive congregations across Latin America, celebrating our activities worldwide and their recent biennial in Recife, Brazil. Shana tova to all our global family!

In 2018, Netzer Olami introduced a new focus for Shnat Netzer participants increasing the partnership between participants of Shnat Netzer and Shnat Sheirut (pre-army volunteer program of Noar Telem, Israel’s Reform Youth Movement). Throughout the year, participants of both young leadership programs met for joint activities and discussions in an effort to build connections between them. This added focus received great feedback, leading to stronger social and ideological relationships among all involved.

Summer camps are in full swing in Belarus, Russia, Poland and Ukraine, with more than 600 campers enjoying outdoor activities and exploring Reform Judaism. Many are still celebrating 70 years of the State of Israel as central themes for cultural, artistic and historical activities in their camps.

In July 2018, 17 Jewish educators from the United States, Germany, Belarus, Israel and Czech Republic, came together in Jerusalem for the Bergman Seminar for Progressive Jewish Educators, run by the World Union Center for Leadership Development and Education. 

More than 400 young adults came together in the Ben Shemen for NETZFEST – a celebration of the strength and voices of our worldwide young adult movement, Netzer Olami (Reform Zionist Youth). The summer day was filled with outdoor challenge activities that brought together participants from various branches (snifim) of Netzer; discussions about critical issues […]