World Union for Progressive Judaism

The International Conference for Liberal Jews, held in London in July 1926, resulted in the founding of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. The goals of the WUPJ were (and are) the stimulation of new Progressive Jewish religious organisations, the promotion of cooperation between organisations, sponsorship of conferences on Progressive Judaism and publication of various reports, bulletins etc. Support to existing communities was often done in the form of financial aid (loans), or training of native rabbis abroad. The WUPJ initially focused on Central and Western Europe, and after the Second World War, on Israel. The collapse of the communist bloc at the end of the 1980s led to an expansion of activities in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. A Youth Section has existed since the early 1930s. Various committees (for instance, the Soviet Jewry Committee) deal with every aspect of Progressive Judaism. Affiliation with the World Jewish Congress and World Zionist Organisation dates from 1976. The headquarters of the WUPJ are currently centralised in Jerusalem; its European Board is based in London.