For the Existentialists, Soul Seekers and those interested in birth, life, death and the beyond, you can choose from the following topics:
Who Am I? Think of your most cherished dream for the future and know that you have the power to help make it come true. All of our powers of creation, invention, and love come from one place – the soul. But, what exactly is the soul? How can you get in touch with it? How can you access the power of your soul to change yourself and the world around you for the better?
Before You Were Born Discover the origins of the soul, how life begins, and how you become you and gained your unique personality. We will also gain powerful insights into how to live life in line with your inner self.
Death and Beyond Where does the soul go after leaving this world? Where are my departed loved ones? What is it like in heaven? Explore the deep mysteries of death and the afterlife. Trace the soul’s path as it departs this world, and see how understanding the destination can make your journey more meaningful.
Have You Been Here Before?We will explore Kabblah’s unique understanding of reincarnation. We will discover a complex system of interconnectedness between souls, and the way that one soul influences and even spawns another.
Eternal Bond What happens to the love we feel for our loved ones once they are gone? Does the relationship stop short? Or are there ways in which we can continue to meaningfully connect with those who have passed on?
The Ultimate Moment After creation, birth, life, death, paradise, reincarnation and we are still left with the ultimate question – what is it all for? This class investigates what our ultimate destination is in this amazing journey.
To Go Boldly Where None Have Gone Before: Writing Your Personal Mission Statement Why were you born? This class establishes the foundation for a meaningful life – revealing, understanding, discovering, and implementing your purpose. No business can function without a mission statement. Neither can you.
Labor of Love: Exploring the Significance of Work, Charity and Wealth Have you ever dreamed about winning the lottery and how it might change your life? Almost everyone needs to work to make ends meet. Indeed, work consumes most of the hours of our day. But is our work more than a means to pay our bills and purchase whatever our hearts desire? What kind of people would be if we did not need to work to live?
Some of us have made our work the center of our lives. Is this healthy? Others loathe work and see it as an unwanted burden. Is this healthy? Others loathe work and see it as an unwanted burden. Is this healthy? In this lesson, we’ll examine new ways to think about work and wealth, and, above all, how to make our work an integral and integrated component of our search for a meaningful life.
Jewish History, Leaders & Talmudic Questions
Hillel Wisdom requires that we careful choose the battles we wish to fight and the wrongs we feel we must right. Sometimes, it turns out that all we are defending is our pride. Hillel managed to revive the fabric of Jewish life without antagonizing the ruling Roman powers of the time. What was the secret to his leadership?
The Bible & Beyond : Why Halachah? Why not just the Bible? This course deals with the process by which halachah is derived, by which the various mitzvoth and their guidelines are determined. But we must first address the more basic question of why we should care. What is the point of the mitzvoth? Why should we be interested in doing them? And does G‑d really need our mitzvoth? This course offers several approaches toward answering these questions.
Isn’t the Bible Enough? A Look into the Judaic Oral Tradition We study how it would be impossible to study the Written Torah without the Oral Torah. There is a distinct advantage of the dual Oral-Written system.
Telephone Game: Is it even possible that the Oral Tradition has been accurately transmitted? Let’s question how the Oral Tradition has been passed down and why there is so much disagreement (especially in the Talmud)? When there are two conflicting opinions, mustn’t one of them come from and erroneous tradition?
And, didn’t all of this Oral Law come from the Rabbis? After all, Moses wasn’t told about Purim on Mt. Sinai! This class provides the crucial background necessary to answer these and other questions. There is not just one category of Oral Tradition, there are three. Once we understand these three categories, we will see that the questions themselves are somewhat misguided.
ETHICS
Flesh of My Flesh: Organ Transplants in Jewish Law Someone, somewhere needs something that only you can give. But to give them what they ned, you will have to cut away from your own flesh. What are the ethics or organ donation? Are you violated – cannibalized – when you give away a part of your body? Or, does your selfless giving make you more complete?
By the Sweat of Their Brows: Wages of the Working Poor It is not secret that today most families need two wages to survive. Even those with two wage earners often struggle to cover basic living expenses. Is there a way for society to preserve the dignity of the working poor, allowing them some assurance they will be able to support themselves and their loved ones through the labor of their own hands? This class focuses on what solutions Jewish law might suggest.
Morally Bankrupt? The Ethics of Debt Discharge In our enlightened times, we no longer cast people who cannot meet their financial obligations into debtor’s prison. When the burden of mounting debt becomes overwhelming, we allow them toe possibility of declaring bankruptcy and starting over with a clean slate. Yet, what of the creditors who are left without recourse? This class explores how Judaism balances compassion for those in need of a helping hand with the desire to ensure that creditors are not punished for their kindness.
RELATIONSHIPS
The Case for Marriage Is there still a need for marriage in today’s world? What purpose does it serve, psychologically and spiritually?
Will My Spouse Ever Change? What if only one partner is committed to improving the marriage? This lesson examines the ideal of an expectation-free relationship, and how to value your partner for who they are.
Becoming a Better Half Marriage can bring out the best and worst in people. This lesson focuses on the individual character traits that influence marriage. We also explore how marriage can be a tool for self-improvement.
TORAH
The Gift of Shabbat Shabbat is called G‑d’s special gift to the Jewish people. We will discover why in this lesson, as we unwrap the gift of Shabbat together.
Walking with Angels In this further Shabbat study, Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said, “G‑d did not find a better vessel to contain blessings for Israel than peace.” (Mishnah, Uktsin 3:12)
As Shabbat descends, we open ourselves to G‑d’s blessings by filling our homes with peach and love.
In this class, we examine three approaches to building peace, all of which can be gleaned from our Shabbat experience.
The Holocaust – Beyond Never Again
Wrestling with G‑d: Can We Understand Human Suffering?Our world is not perfect. There is pain and suffering, death and disease. The Jewish nation, throughout its long and biter exile, has been subjected to the worst trials and tribulations that have ever faced any nation or people. And within our own age, the Jewish nation has been subjected to the horrors of the Holocaust. Does Jewish tradition have insights for us concerning the intense suffering that we undergo as individuals and as a nation? This class explores some of the ideas found in Jewish thought that deal with the question of an omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent G‑d and the suffering that surrounds us.
When Night Will Shine Like Day: Ensuring a Brighter Tomorrow Elie Wiesel’s interpretation of a question posed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe of Righteous Memory raises many other questions. Does Auschwitz mean the defeat of humanity? What does the Holocaust teach us about people? And about the things that people put their trust in? What does the Holocaust tell us about the human capacity for evil and about the human capacity for goodness? Is there hope for our present and for our future?
Call to schedule 419-843-9393 / Email: [email protected]
