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Reuven Pinchas Bulka (; June 6, 1944 – June 27, 2021) was a Canadian rabbi, writer, broadcaster, and activist. He was the spiritual leader of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa from 1967, first as Rabbi and then, starting in 2015, as Emeritus. He served as co-president of the Canadian Jewish Congress from 2007 to 2009. Bulka's work with Kind Canada led to the recognition of the third week of February every year as "Kindness Week" in Canada.
He received his Semikhah from the Rabbi Jacob Joseph Rabbinical Seminary in 1965 and was granted a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the City College of the City University of New York the same year. He briefly served as Associate Rabbi at Congregation K’hal Adas Yeshurn in The Bronx, before becoming Rabbi of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa in 1967. He received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Ottawa in 1969 and 1971 respectively, concentrating on the logotherapy of Viktor Frankl.
In January 2021, Rabbi Bulka announced he had been diagnosed with late stage cancer of the liver and pancreas, and would travel to New York to be closer to his family who resided in and around New York City. He died on June 27, 2021, at the age of 77. He was buried in Israel.
He was also the host of the TV series, In Good Faith and hosted the weekly radio call-in program Sunday Night with Rabbi Bulka on CFRA in Ottawa, and was the host of the weekly radio Jewish culture and music program JEW-BILATION on CJLL-FM. He was a regular columnist for the Ottawa Citizen's "Ask the Religion Experts" feature.
Rabbi Bulka regularly appeared during nationally televised Remembrance Day ceremonies at the National War Memorial Cenotaph in Ottawa.
Bulka's work with Kind Canada led to the federal government designating the third week of February every year as "Kindness Week" with the adoption of Bill S-223 during the 43rd Canadian Parliament.
As co-President of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Bulka called on the leadership of the Catholic Church in Canada to follow the lead of bishops in France, Belgium and Germany, among other countries, in denouncing the Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism of Bishop Richard Williamson and in reaffirming in no uncertain terms that such hateful views have no place in the Church.
In 2006 Bulka was awarded an Honorary degree Doctorate of Laws from Carleton University, and on February 18, 2010, he was awarded the Key to the City of Ottawa. He also received Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal, Golden Jubilee Medal, and Diamond Jubilee Medal. He was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 28, 2013.
He was awarded the Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service for "inspiring sermons, venerable presence and meaningful messages to Canadians during the National Remembrance Day ceremonies from the steps of the National War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, over many years."
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