UMJC

10/22/2026

This week’s Torah commentary is written by Joe Miterko, one of our UNION interns. For the full text, go to UMJC.org/commentary.

Joining the Journey
Parashat L**h L’cha, Genesis 12:1–17:27

Back to B’reisheet
I love it when we turn the Torah back to the beginning and revisit our old friends. Some love the stories of Moshe and the exodus from Egypt. Others enjoy the story of Yosef and the reconciliation with his brothers. Each time we read about these characters, we can enter in and engage in their story in a deep and meaningful way.

Get Up and Go!
One of the first people we read about in our Torah cycle is Avraham Avinu (Abraham our Father). He is indeed the father of faith. Through him, God blesses the whole world. Our parasha begins with some familiar verses:

Now Adonai said to Avram, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1–3)

L**h L’cha, the name of our parasha, can mean “go for yourself.” Rashi says about this passage, “He (Hashem) did not reveal the land to him (Avram) immediately, in order to make it dear in his eyes and to give him reward for every command.”

10/22/2026

10/16/2026

Weekly Torah commentary preview:

First Things First
Parashat Noach, Genesis 6:9–11:32
By Chaim Dauermann

Parashat Noach is one of the most familiar portions of the Torah. The story of Noah and the ark transcends its religious context. It is known throughout the world. The imagery is memorable: the animals entering the ark, the floodwaters rising, the ark coming to rest, and Noah sending out birds to determine whether dry land had appeared. But in some ways, the most interesting part of Noah’s story begins after the best-known elements of the story have taken place, after the ark has come to rest and Noah steps back onto dry ground. Genesis 8 tells us that God commanded Noah to leave the ark with his family and all the animals that had been preserved with him”

Read the full text at UMJC.org/commentary

09/24/2026

Weekly Torah Commentary preview, by Rabbi Jude. The full text is available at UMJC.org/commentary.

"Sukkot: The Lord Dwells with Us
Sukkot 5787, Leviticus 22:26-23:44

Sukkot arrives each year as the last of the fall holidays, the last of the appointed times found in Leviticus chapter 23, and the last of the Shalosh Regalim, the three pilgrimage festivals. While it would be impossible to explore in depth all of the rich spiritual significance and meaning of this holiday, I hope to touch on some key points: the joy of Sukkot, the idea of Hashem dwelling with us, and how Sukkot is a fulfillment and redemption holiday. Within all of these points, we will see a picture of our Messiah Yeshua.

The Joy of Sukkot
In ancient Israel, the people were farmers whose livelihood was tied to a good harvest season. Sukkot falls at the time of the final harvest and is the season of ingathering, when you reap what you have sowed all season. We sing Psalm 118 during this time, which says, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good!” We wave the four species – the lulav, hadas, aravah and etrog (branches of palm, myrtle and willow, plus a citron) – which symbolize the harvest and our thanksgiving and worship of the Lord. As we remember our ancestors’ harvest at this time of year, we can imagine how joyous it was for them to reap what they had sown. In fact, one of the many names for this holiday is Z’man Simchatenu – the time of our joy.

During the time of the Second Temple, there was a ritual called the water-pouring or libation ceremony. "

09/10/2026

Wishing our Union congregations a Chag Sameach!

09/03/2026

Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech, Deuteronomy 29:9 – 31:30

Weekly Torah commentary by Rabbi David Tokajer

“Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech takes us to one of the Torah’s most moving moments. Israel stands on the plains of Moab, with the wilderness behind and the Promised Land ahead. Moses, who led them from Egypt, knows he will not cross the Jordan with them. And his opening words are significant: “You are standing today, all of you, before Adonai your God” (Deuteronomy 29:9).

The Hebrew word nitzavim means more than just being present. It suggests standing firmly, being established, and being set in place. Israel stands before Adonai as a covenant people.

Notice who is present: leaders, elders, officials, men, women, children, and even the strangers living among them. Everyone is included in this covenant moment. Even more, Moses says the covenant is made “not with you alone” but also “with whomever is standing here with us today before Adonai our God and with whomever is not here with us today” (Deuteronomy 29:13-14).

This means the covenant always extends beyond the current generation. We inherit a story that started before us, and we are called to pass it on to people we may never meet.”

Continue reading at UMJC.org/commentary

09/02/2026

Check out the September Newsletter, your source for upcoming events, congregational reports, and more.
https://mailchi.mp/umjc/septembernewsletter

08/31/2026

We've got an exciting lineup of upcoming events, including the West Region Gathering outside of LA. For the full list and registration details, see https://mailchi.mp/umjc/upcomingevents2026

08/27/2026

This week's Torah portion is Parashat Ki Tavo, from Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8. The commentary is by Rabbi Ira Brawer and the full text can be viewed at umjc.org.

"There’s an ancient story that the Romans required bridge builders to stand underneath their completed bridges when the supporting scaffolding was removed. The reason is obvious—it was an incentive for them to show that they had done the job correctly, that they had “skin in the game.” Otherwise there would be some consequences for them.

It is clear that God has a lot of skin in the game in the story of our people. Follow the story from Abraham, through the slavery in Egypt, to the exodus, to the rebellion and wandering in the desert, to the moment Moses is recounting the covenant to the next generation in Parashat Ki Tavo. God’s design to restore mankind is taking a major step forward, and Israel is the key player in the “game” as this new generation is getting ready to enter the land. Over and over, starting with Exodus 1, we read of God’s desire for Israel, from recognizing their identity as his “firstborn son,” “treasured possession,” and their calling as a “light to the nations” and “kingdom of priests.”

In this week’s parasha, we read about a re-affirmation of the covenant, which was first given by Hashem to the previous generation at Sinai, and is now restated by Moses to this next generation getting ready to enter the Land. The idea of covenant was familiar to the ancient world, where two parties entered into an agreement to do certain things for mutual benefit, not just in words, but in actions..."