Quarantine and Social Distancing rules have turned Chabad House operations upside down, but shluchim are not deterred. Live shiurim have been halted, but many hundreds of shluchim are offering online classes. Assisting shluchim, JLI Central have been nimble, modifying the classic JLI model to offer tens of new educational offerings.
“The quarantine actually affords a new opportunity for me to reach people that are usually too busy,” says Rabbi Mendy Gurkov of Upper Passaic County, NJ. “They have time on their hands and are happy to fill it with meaningful classes I arrange on the Zoom platform.”
From day one of the outbreak, JLI has not rested on its laurels. Curriculum developers have been redirected from long term projects to produce ready-to-use material for online classes. “Online classes are a different genre than live group sessions,” explains Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman, Co-Director of JLI’s Curriculum Development. “There is less opportunity for discussion and interaction, and the attention span of the participant is much shorter.”
Content of the programs have been tailored to the unusual circumstances. The “DIY Seder Primer” gave Jews leading a seder for the first time the confidence and knowledge to make a rudimentary but meaningful seder for their families. Over 1,000 shluchim ordered the curriculum. Other programs ready before Pesach included “Tales to Inspire” which derived life lessons from Pesach-themed Chassidic stories and “DIY Yizkor.”
Four new comprehensive offerings are now available to shluchim to cover their bases until Shavuos. Judaism at Home, a five-part series provides basic literacy in daily observances. A four-part Pirkei Avos series, highlighted by the Rebbe’s insights; classes on the upcoming holidays and special days and, by popular demand, “Tales to Inspire”, featuring Chasic tales with life-lessons and inspirational nuggets.
