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Orlando adults seek answers to tough questions in JLI course
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CopyIn November, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute unveiled a course entitled "Soul-Quest: The Journey Through Life, Death, and Beyond." The six-week course, held at the Jack & Lee Rosen Jewish Community Center and taught by Rabbi Yosef Konikov of the Chabad of South Orlando, delved head-first into some of the most pressing questions about where our souls come from and what happens when they leave this world.
"This was a classic case of the market creating the demand for this course," said Konikov. "We have received consistent requests from students to create a course that addresses these issues head on. Sooner or later, everybody must reckon with questions of their own mortality."
The course was built on some "frequently asked questions," and provided the adult students with an understanding of the soul's journey. In typical JLI fashion, a main focus of the class was the practical day-to-day application of the information that was learned throughout the course. In order to achieve this purpose students participated in six classroom sessions with Konikov, in addition to being given a 130-page textbook with sources from classic Jewish literature such as the Talmud and Kabbalah's Zohar.
Each of the six lessons focused on a specific stage on a soul's journey, beginning with the classic question, "Who am I?" This first lesson helped students define what a soul is, and how to get in touch with their own soul to make personal and global change a reality.
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, the founder of the school of Kabbalah in the 1500s taught that "the soul is a part of G-d from above and it desires to constantly rise up to its 'Father's House.'"
The practical application? Konikov taught participants how to help elevate their soul and the world around them by making simple blessings on things they come in contact with, using a bottle of water as an example.
In a similar style, the course went on to answer some of the most demanding questions in Jewish theology. For the one who wondered if your individual soul makes a difference in the vast scheme of things, the course answered that "Birth is G-d saying you matter." For the one who wondered where the soul goes after death, the course launched into a full discussion of the traditional mourning periods in association with the soul's ascent back to heaven. For the one that wondered, "Have I been here before?" the course answers: yes, apart of your soul has! After each class, students walked away with an understanding of how the topic covered affects their individual lives by being provided with a list of key points and memorable quotes.
The course culminated in a discussion of "the ultimate moment" for our souls: right now. Judaism teaches that our souls are here to make this world a dwelling place for God, and the best time to contribute is right this second. After an inspiring and enlightening six weeks, the SoulQuest course closed with reassurance that you shouldn't worry about being perfect, just about doing your part: "Angels are G-d's photos, humans are G-d's paintings. We're less perfect, but much more valuable."
For more information or to sign up for future Jewish Learning Institute courses, contact Konikov at Rabbi@JewishOrlando.com or 407-354-3660, or visit the Chabad of South Orlando's Web site at www.JewishOrlando.com. Rucheli (Cathleen)Manville is a student at the University of Central Florida, a freelance writer and the Judaism columnist for the Orlando Examiner online newspaper. E-mail her at OrlandoJudaism@gmail.com, read her column at www.JewishOrlando.tk or visit her Web site at www.Rucheli.tk.
Copyright 2010 Heritage Florida Jewish News, Fern Park, Florida. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
© 2010 Heritage Florida Jewish News Fern Park, Florida. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.
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