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 UPCOMING EVENTS
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March 13-15, 2012
WUPJ Executive Board Meetings, Netherlands |
March 15, 2012 International Assembly Meetings, Netherlands |
March 15-18, 2012 Biennial Conference of the European Union for Progressive Judaism, Amsterdam |
June 1-2, 2012 Biennial Conference of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), Israel |
June 8-10, 2012 80th Anniversary and Biennial conference of the South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ), Johannesburg |
August 8-12, 2012 World Union for Progressive Judaism-Latin America (WUPJ-LA)'s 4th Conference of Jewish Communities, Buenos Aires |
October 25-28, 2012 UPJ Biennial Conference, Sydney, Australia |
April 28-30, 2013 WUPJ Executive Board Seminar and International Assembly Meeting, Jerusalem, Israel |
May 1-5, 2013 World Union for Progressive Judaism's 36th International Biennial - Connections 2013, Jerusalem, Israel Read more in Upcoming Events |

World Union for Progressive Judaism projects are supported by The World Zionist Organization |
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 Beutel marks successful tenth anniversary milestone seminar | The WUPJ's Anita Saltz IEC held its 10th annual Beutel Seminar last month. This prestigious seminar is open to active lay leaders in Progressive/Reform/Liberal Jewish communities around the world. In addition to developing leadership skills, it offers them an opportunity to study ancient texts, history, philosophy and Jewish thought, discuss current political and social issues, and explore spiritual pathways within the context of Progressive Judaism. Read more... 
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2012 Netzer Veida ends on high note | | Netzer Olami - the World Union's Progressive worldwide Youth Movement, held its 29th Veida (conference) in January, with twenty five delegates, representing 10 different snifim (branches) from around the world participating in the weeklong event. The Netzer Veida is an annual event where representatives gather in Jerusalem to focus on issues central to Netzer ideology, exchange ideas, and discuss future plans. Participants learn how Netzer operates its various snifim, they discuss ways to strengthen and reinforce their members' connection to Israel, and discuss issues these snifim face. 
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Moscow family winter camp great success | | The Moscow community marked the arrival of 2012 with its annual winter family camp, which took place during the first week of January (3rd-8th) at a campsite just outside the city.
Read more... 
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Beit Shmuel's "Children Create Shabbat" series brings meaning to Tu Beshvat | | The monthly "Children Create Shabbat" family workshop has become one of Mercaz Shimshon - Beit Shmuel's most successful and popular activities. Every month dozens of families attend the workshop. 
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Reflections on... A Child's Story; A Lesson for Us by Rabbi Stephen Lewis Fuchs, President
| | Teachable moments can sneak up on us unexpectedly. We were sitting in a restaurant waiting for our food when, out of the blue, my four-year old grandson Zachary leaned against me in the booth, and said, "Saba, will you tell me a story?" I was tired, and all I wanted to do was eat and relax, but my grandson had just made me an offer I could not refuse. Back to In This Issue |
 News in brief | | - WZO Diaspora Activities Dept. launches Tu Beshvat program
- German parliamentary delegation visits Beit Shmuel
- Kingston Holocaust Memorial Day expands to full day event
- Kadima founders hold "post golden anniversary" Huppa ceremony
Read more... Back to In This Issue |
 | | The leadership and staff of the World Union offer a hearty Mazal Tov to SAUPJ Chairperson & World Union Executive Board member, Steve Lurie, and his wife Rahle, on the birth of a grandson.
The leadership and staff of the World Union offer a hearty Mazal Tov to FSU Director, Alex Kagan, and his wife Lena, on the birth of their daughter in January, sister to Nadav and Mia.
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 | | The leadership and staff of the World Union offer their sincerest condolences to WUPJ Senior vice Chair, Jim Heeger, on the passing of his mother Maurine Heeger. May her memory be for a blessing. The leadership and staff of the World Union offer their sincerest and most heartfelt condolences to Rabbi David Ariel Yoel, former director of IMPJ and Rabbi of Congregation Adath Yisrael-Brith Shalom in Louisville Kentucky, on the passing of his son Nadav. May his memory be for a blessing.
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 Compassion Fatigue and the Exodus from Egypt // Parashat Beshallach (Exodus 13:17-17:16)
by Rabbi Fred Morgan, Senior Rabbi, Temple Beth Israel, Melbourne, Australia In Australia we speak of "Eureka!" moments: moments when something crystallizes in the mind, when vague thoughts that have been floating about suddenly come together to provide an insight that wasn't there previously. I had this kind of Eureka! moment as I sat down to prepare the drash on this week's sidra Beshallach. I realized that much of my thinking over the past few weeks, this period during which the Torah has once again led us up to the Exodus from the land of bondage and across the Sea of Reeds into freedom, has been toying with a particular theme. This theme has a modern name: it is called "compassion fatigue." As the name itself suggests, compassion fatigue occurs when a caring person has run out of the energy needed to continue giving to others; when the demand for compassion exceeds the supply; when the problems of "the world" seem too great to be ameliorated by the efforts of a single individual; when a caring person is spiritually overwhelmed and defeated by the enormity of the need to which he or she is trying to respond. Read more... Back to In This Issue | | |
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