By COLlive reporter
For the first time, Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) is bringing back an adult education course that has been previously presented around the world and is reintroducing it to the public with new and updated material.
“Journey of the Soul,” authored by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg, is the most popular course of JLI to date and was taught by Chabad Shluchim and Shluchos in 5776 in more than 1,600 locations in North and South America, Europe, as well as India, Israel, Japan, South Africa and Turkey.
It explores what happens to the soul at birth and again at death, whether there is a “better place” after this one, whether our loved ones continue to connect with us, the Jewish understanding of reincarnation, and how to relate to an afterlife even if we’re not spiritual.
“The topic of death and the afterlife is one that has always fascinated thinking people,” says Rabbi Silberberg. “But particularly during these tumultuous times when, sadly, so many have lost loved ones to Covid-19, the need has become even more pressing for a course that presents the uplifting Jewish perspective on mortality, death, and the afterlife.”
Rabbi Silberberg said that JLI has received multiple requests from Shluchim who felt due to the topic’s wide popularity, the course should run again.
The subtitle of Journey of the Soul, “How to look at life, death, and the rest—in peace,” is indicative of an approach to the topic which is at once serious, but also relaxed and sometimes whimsical, JLI said.
The six-week course is scheduled to begin January 31 in 350 locations worldwide and will be offered both in person and over zoom.
Leading experts in grief, death anxiety and post-traumatic growth have endorsed the course which is approved for continuing professional education for doctors and mental health professionals.
Dr. John Martin Fischer, distinguished professor of philosophy, University of California, Riverside, found the new course to be of interest to any human being since everyone thinks about dying, death, and the afterlife. “The Jewish tradition offers unique answers to intellectual issues and also strategies for coming to terms with death. I highly recommend the course,” he said.
Dr. Simon Shimshon Rubin, Director of the International Center for the study of Loss, Bereavement, and Human Resilience at the University of Haifa considers Journey of the Soul “a timely and timeless opportunity [that] cannot help but deepen our appreciation of human connections and the way in which we find and make meaning in life.”
As with all of JLI’s programs, Journey of the Soul is designed to appeal to people at all levels of knowledge, including those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All JLI courses are open to the public. Newly designed student textbooks will be provided to students, along with multimedia presentations.
VIDEO: What Happens to the Soul?
For more on the course and to find a local class, visit myJLI.com
Kol hakavod to the very talented Swish Media/ Moshe & Getzy Raskin and the JLI team for this really well done Video clip!
Thank you to previous post for letting us know who created this awesome piece. Really well done.