Upcoming Courses

FALL 5786—6 LESSONS

The Kabbalah of Meaning

Jewish wisdom for finding the purpose that connects all parts of life.

Life is busy. What connects it all? Join this six-session course to discover Judaism’s timeless approach to meaning in life. You’ll hear answers to some of life’s most fundamental questions: What is meaning? Where does it come from? And if we have it all, why do we seek more?

You’ll gain tools to see the meaning in the routines, relationships, and rhythms of time that shape your life. Discover the purpose in what you’ve achieved and in what lies ahead.

SPRING 5786—4 LESSONS

For All Humankind

How Judaism’s universal values can help us build better lives and societies.

What values enable a good life? What values shape a just society? Join this four-part course to discover Judaism’s ethical message for all people.

Explore foundational Jewish texts to discover the spiritual path our tradition offers every individual. You’ll explore how these values guide family life and uncover the essential role of education. Plus, understand what it takes to achieve Judaism’s vision of a more perfect and peaceful world for all humanity.

WINTER 5786—6 LESSONS

Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa

Listen in on the surprising, practical questions your ancestors asked rabbis across Jewish history.

Join this six-session course to discover the little-known world of rabbinic responsa, a vast archive of the real-life questions of ethics and practice Jews asked across history—and the scholarly answers rabbis wrote.

Algiers is under siege: May I pray in a bathhouse? The Inquisition is watching: How will I celebrate Passover? Seventeen Jews are held hostage in faraway Regensburg after a blood libel: Must I help pay their ransom?

See what enables Jewish tradition to offer relevant guidance in a rapidly changing world—and come face-to-face with raw Jewish history.

SUMMER 5786—4 LESSONS

Sinai and Civics

The Jewish ethics that shaped America’s founding.

In time for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this four-session course reflects on the Jewish ethics, ideas, and values that inspired and influenced America’s founders—and that still shape our government and society today.

Was it always self-evident that all people are “created equal”? What is the “pursuit of happiness”? What inspired America’s system of checks and balances? And looking ahead, what steps can we take to build a just and united future?