Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center at Berkeley

Classes Spring 2017

8 Tuesdays 7-9pm, $350 stipend

The objective of this course is to explore core elements of Jewish thought, literature and practice.  Judaism spans 4000 years. You can fill up libraries with its literature. Its practices are more vast and complex than perhaps any other society. They are as vast and complex as life itself. So to think we will cover Judaism in one 8 week course is not a very Jewish thought. What we are aiming for is to explore some of its core elements; core to Judaism, and core to us—modern Jews in the 21st Century.

These are issues we must be familiar with if we want to say with integrity “I am a Jew. This is not an in-depth exploration to become a scholar, get a PhD, or become “religious”. This is to have a healthy, adult-level, understanding of the core elements of our heritage and identity

Fellowship, 6 Wednesdays 8-9pm, 
$600 Israel program scholarship*

Many people love their homes and their countries, but once they relocate, they form new allegiances. They cannot trace the ancestral homeland that their families claimed two millennia ago, nor do they continue to long for those places. Yet no matter where they have lived, Jews have continued to dream about the land of Israel.
Because Israel is different. It is a land that has pulsed with energy and mystery since the dawn of time, a land that has captured the imagination throughout history, a land that breathes with the glory of our past and the dreams of our future.
And so Israel retains its hold upon our spirit. There is a deep connection that continues to tug at us, a magnetic pull that has not waned even though many have found safe haven elsewhere. Whether Israel makes us feel pride or disappointment, hope or concern, we care about its fate and its future. Whatever our political or religious bent, we know that Israel matters.

If you have ever wondered about Israel and its place in the world - and in your heart - then this course is for you.

6 Mondays 8-9pm

Perhaps you have struggled before with the elusive search for meaning, and wished you had a personal mentor to guide your growth. What if you had the chance to meet one of the greatest masters of Kabbalah and learn ancient proven strategies for self-realization and contentment?
This spring, you’ll have that chance. Soul Maps investigates Tanya, the fundamental text of Chassidic thought. The course is structured as a six-session consultation with the author of the Tanya, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.

During each session, you will receive insight into your inner world and you will discover new strategies for overcoming obstacles to change and progress. You’ll learn to resolve guilt, conflict, and confusion, and to traverse life’s journey with joy, purpose, and direction.