Designed and developed by the world-renowned Jewish Learning Institute, the Torah Studies program brings you the tradition of classical Jewish learning in a series of clear and engaging weekly classes. Probing ideas and issues, the Torah Studies classes offer timely lessons for living – from the most timeless of all texts.
The Torah Studies program will introduce you to new planes in spiritual, social and self-awareness - one week at a time.
Wednesday Evenings - 7:30-8:30 pm
Chabad: Call for address - 626-539-4578
Light Refreshments will be served - Class is Free of Charge
Dedication Opportunities
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Wednesday, July 24 2019 Everything You Think About Yourself is Probably Wrong Let Someone Else Make the Calls Is our sense of morality and principle strong enough to always be trusted? Our past experiences shape that sense of morality, and our environment affects our judgment, whether we like it or not. How, then, are we supposed to look past our own lenses? |
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Wednesday, July 31 2019 Our Land, Our Home What Israel Means to Us Israel, a tiny piece of land, provokes so much passion among the Jewish people and throughout the world. Why do we care about it so much? Uncovering the inner dynamic of the Holy Land and the spirit pulsating within it sheds light on our timeless bond with a land unlike any other. |
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Wednesday, August 7 2019 So You Think You Can Have Morality Without G‑d? Think Again "Universal Morality" Was, and Always is, a Spectacular Failure The most popular book of all time, the Bible, is probably also translated into the most languages ever. And that’s exactly what G‑d told the Jews to do in the desert—to translate the Torah into all languages. This interesting tidbit contains a message about morality that reverberates to this very day. |
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*NO CLASS* Be a Good Neighbor Good Fences Make Good Neighbors, But Reaching Across Is Even Better While some think they can live wherever they want and remain completely unchanged by their environment, most of us abandoned that fantasy a while ago. So what’s the best plan? To hide away in the safest place, or blaze trails in obscure locales? A law about neighbors contains the fine balance to this important question. |
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*NO CLASS* Shattered Dreams Ground Zero is a Construction Site The image of a horrified Moses smashing the precious tablets is seared into the Jewish conscious forever. But what most people don't know is that those broken shards are remembered not as a tragedy, but as a moment of glory. For buried in those broken pieces are wild dreams and incredible new beginnings. |
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Wednesday, August 28 2019 Lessons from an Animal What the Kosher Signs of an Animal Can Tell Us About Life Starting with a cow's split hooves, continuing up to its abdominal habits, this lesson lands us into lessons about life and what it means to be a truly "religious" person. |
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Wednesday, September 4 2019 Sages vs. Scripture Where Does the Bible End, and the Rabbis Begin? As anyone with basic Jewish literacy knows, the Rabbis came up with a lot of stuff. And we mean A LOT. So what's the deal? Are the Rabbis just an extension of the Torah? But aren't they mere mortals? And why were they making up so much stuff anyway? Discover the rules of the game in this intriguing class. |
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Wednesday, September 11 2019 It's My Body, I Can Do What I Want! Wrong. It's Not Your Body. Proceed Accordingly It's all skin and bones, right? No! In this joyful ride, we learn that our bodies are something uniquely special, perhaps more so than our very souls. But before you hit the gym, take a moment to discover the spiritual energy in that body - and do your best to unleash it. |
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Wednesday, September 18 2019 Herd Mentality is Bad. Joining Minds is Incredible Chassidic Fabrengens Are the Original Group Therapy Listen, we all have issues. But the good news is that your issues are probably not exactly the same as the next person's issues. That's where getting together comes in: It's a powerful tool for recovery, inspiration, and direction. A one-off gathering on two dusty hilltops in the Judean desert brought home that message to the nascent Jewish people. |
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Wednesday, September 25 2019 (pre-Rosh Hashana class) Repentance Shouldn't be Scary. Try it on For Size How a Achieve a Joyful High Holidays in 30 Days or Less That picture of a Jew crying in the corner, bitterly remorseful about his or her past misdeeds is, agreeably, a scary one. But it's also counter-intuitive, what happened to positive reinforcement? Find out how to ace repentance this season, and come out happier for it. |
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Wednesday, October 2 2019 (pre-Yom Kippur class) Broken Promises Kol Nidrei's Message of Hope Of all things, the Yom Kippur prayers start with the cancellation of vows. Couldn't we choose something a little more inspiring? Discover the fascinating historical background to this ancient tradition, and the reason why Kol Nidrei is the perfect opening pitch. |
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*Date: TBD* A Snafu about Corfu The Search for the Authentic Etrog Some centuries ago, a great controversy arose in Europe: Was the beautiful etrog from the island of Corfu the preferred specimen for use on Sukkot, or was it unfit for use entirely? Get involved in one the most heated -and intriguing- rabbinic debates in recent history. |