The 67th International conference of the World Union for Progressive Judaism was recently held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
350 delegates attended from around the world including the retiring chairman of the WUPJ Advocacy committee Dr Philip Bliss from Melbourne.
The delegates, representing 1.9 million Progressive Jews participated in a week of celebration, education with a definite taste of Latin America.
The conference was hugely successful with some most challenging workshops critical to modern Judaism.
Set on Rio’s beautiful Copacabana beach nothing the participants celebrated the Havdallah service, joined by the drummers from a favela visited by some members.
The new executive is under the new chairmanship of Carole Sterling form Toronto Canada and the WUPJ’s new President Rabbi Danny Freelander have three members from this region.
Phyllis Dorey who also co-chaired the conference planning committee joins the board of management and Sharene Hambur was appointed to the wider executive. Both are from Melbourne.
David Robinson from Auckland NZ was appointed the new treasurer.
After 20 years on the executive and chairman of the WUPJ Advocacy committee Dr Philip Bliss stood down and was elected an honorary life member.