Rabbi Julie Zupan

Rabbi Julie Zupan (she/her) is the Director, Growth & Engagement Initiatives at the Union for Reform Judaism, where her work focuses on designing pathways that welcome, affirm, and celebrate newcomers to Judaism and Jewish community. She was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and is a member of Temple Sinai of Sharon, MA.

Lifecycle Rituals

I was invited to celebrate a bar mitzvah for an 83-year-old. Where does this tradition come from?

Rabbi Julie Zupan

It's never too late for a Jewish person to celebrate becoming bar, bat, or bet mitzvah! Many Jews celebrate as adults, if they didn't have the opportunity to celebrate when they were 13.

an image of two parents swinginga child by the arms; imageis a little blurry

Talking to Children About Jewish Identity in an Interfaith Family

Rabbi Julie Zupan

Rabbi Emily Langowitz

September 1, 2023

For children in interfaith families, clarifying the role of religion in the family dynamic is important.

Conversion

My DNA Test Shows I Have Jewish Ancestry; Am I Jewish?

Rabbi Julie Zupan

With the popularity of DNA testing kits and ancestry websites, I often hear from people wondering if their test results of "X% Ashkenazi Jewish" mean that they are Jewish.

Bowl of charoset with almonds on top and a whole apple in the background

Lessons from Charoset During a Year of Pandemic

Rabbi Julie Zupan

March 10, 2021

As we enjoy this year’s sweet charoset, let us cherish and express our gratitude for the essential workers, medical professionals, everyday heroes, and others who provided the sweetness that helped temper the bitters we tasted this year.

Headstone engraved with a Star of David with small stones on top

Death and Mourning

What is the Jewish expression to refer to someone who has died?

Rabbi Julie Zupan

In Judaism, when someone has died, it is customary to add the expression, “May their memory be for a blessing” after mentioning the deceased by name. In Hebrew, the expression is “ zichrona livracha” (feminine), “ zichrono livracha” (masculine), or “ zichronam livracha” (plural or gender-neutral) and is typically abbreviated