JLI - Jewish Learning Institute - Fraida-Cameron Chabad Center of Wilmette

IN PERSON (with all CDC guidelines)

6 Sundays, 10:30 am - Noon
Nov. 1 - Dec. 6

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ON ZOOM

6 Mondays, 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Nov. 2 - Dec. 7

6 Wednesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 AM
Nov. 4 - Dec. 9

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AUDIO PODCAST

Download at your convenience

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JLI ACADEMIC YEAR

Enroll in all 3 courses and save $50

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IN PERSON LOCATION

Fraida-Cameron Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning
2904 Old Glenview Rd, Wilmette, IL 60091

MORE INFO

Fee: $100 Couples $180
Try the first class FREE (with no obligation to continue) - just email or call us

jli@chabadwilmette.com | 847.251.7707

Course Overview

A lush garden...a snake...forbidden fruit...temptation...the sin of knowledge...shame...mortality...
Huh?? What is really going on?

Revisit six seemingly absurd stories you likely remember from Hebrew school. Uncover their hidden themes and eye-opening insights into the mysteries of life.
~ What is the deeper and personal meaning behind these stories?
~ How did they shape the Jewish worldview?
~ What wisdom do they hold for you today?

Sign up for a thought-provoking experience, guaranteed to deepen your understanding of Judaism and enrich your life!

Course Outline

Click here for the course syllabus

Story One
Would you choose knowledge over paradise? Would you rather be objective and unengaged or passionate and invested? Why is temptation more compelling than reason? What’s the big idea behind Adam and Eve eating the fruit of knowledge and the resulting human struggle with self-consciousness?

Story Two
How do you see past another's failures? If a person you love lets you down, is the relationship over? How do you build a resilient connection that will survive any storm? The secret is buried in the theme of the Great Flood: why G‑d created a world only to destroy it, and how He guarantees there will never be a repeat.

Story Three
Will the real you please stand up? At some point, we're all conflicted: torn between a drive to do good and the temptation of lust, greed, and power. In this session, you'll meet your inner Jacob and Esau—the recluse and the hunter—and understand their lifelong conflict. Why does Isaac prefer the materialistic Esau? And why does the wholesome Jacob resort to deception to obtain his father's blessings?

Story Four
Your life and its goals: are they compatible? You may love what you do, or where it gets you, but seldom both. Uncover this tension in the strange relationships between Jacob and his wives and between Joseph and his brothers, and explore ways to navigate the delicate balance between personal growth and practical impact.

Story Five
Why is inspiration so short-lived? Infidelity under the wedding canopy is the story of our lives. Why do New Year’s resolutions barely last a day? We are so easily impressionable, yet our stimulation doesn’t linger. Discover a powerful hack for creating lasting impact from two sets of tablets and the worship of a golden calf.

Story Six
Does a higher station make You a better person? If all people were created equal, why do some occupy more elevated positions than others? You weren’t dealt the same hand as your neighbor; does this make you inferior to them? Explore Korach’s challenge to Moses’s leadership to gain insight on privilege and every person's unique contribution to society.