The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute
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Shnei Ohr Chabad Nth Caulfield
Location 347 Alma Rd, Caulfield North, VIC 3161 Australia
Phone9507 2368
Upcoming Course: Days to Celebrate

Days to Celebrate: Demystifying Lesser-Known Festivals of the Jewish Calendar
During these trying times, everyone is looking for something to celebrate. Fortunately, the Jewish calendar offers us many such opportunities throughout the current season. This five-part miniseries will enrich your appreciation of these special days. Explore their history, discover their significance, and learn about the traditional observances associated with these days.

Course Details
Lesson 1 Counting Down or Gearing Up?

During this time of year, Jews around the world count each day for seven weeks to mark off the days left until Shavuot—the day that we received the Ten Commandments. Why do we count, and what does it mean for us? Is it just an ancient ritual, or can it become a contemporary self-help program that will dramatically improve our lives?

Join us for a discussion on the counting of the Omer and discover its life-changing formula for success. When performed correctly, the counting can become a daily regimen for self-refinement that will improve your relationship with others, your relationship with yourself, and most importantly, your relationship with G-d.

Lesson 2 Never Too Late

If you have procrastinated all your life, is it too late to change? If you haven’t talked to your sibling in decades, is there still a chance for reconciliation? If you have suffered an addiction for years, is there still hope for you? Join us on a journey of life as we explore the mystery of Pesach Sheni; a little-known festival that unlocks the secret of rehabilitation.

Lesson 3 The Secret of Jewish Unity

Why are there so many Jewish factions, and why is Jewish unity so hard to achieve? If we strip away the outer disagreements, what lies at the core of Judaism? This lesson will present biographical sketches of two great Jewish leaders, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon bar Yocha’i. We will explore the tensions of the Jewish people in their times and discover the balance that lies at the core of Judaism and of Jewish unity.

Lesson 4 Essence to Essence: The Sinai Connection

If Abraham already knew the Torah and taught it to his children, what did we receive at Sinai? This lesson will demonstrate that G-d did not give us the Torah at Sinai; He gave us Himself. We did not give G-d our commitment at Sinai; we gave Him ourselves. G-d was thrilled at Sinai to learn that He matters to us. We were thrilled at Sinai to know that we matter to Him.

Lesson 5 Shavuot DIY: How Do You Do Shavuot at Home?

No matter how quickly society reopens, we are not likely to enjoy large gatherings this Shavuot and will likely need to do it at home. Shavuot includes delightful traditions such as adorning the home with flowers and enjoying dairy treats, and somber customs such as studying Torah all night and Yizkor—remembering our loved ones. It includes rules that are unique to Shavuot and others that are common to all Jewish holidays. We will present and explain these traditions and empower you to do it yourself.

Dates & Times
The course date hasn't yet been announced for this location. Please email menachem@chabadso.org.au or call 9507 2368 for more info.
Upcoming Course: Cultivating Character

Cultivating Character: Life Wisdom from the Ethics of Our Fathers
Pirkei Avot - Ethics of Our Fathers is a compilation of timeless aphorisms from the sages of old, offering Jewish wisdom on life, morality, and character development. Continuing the ancient tradition of studying its chapters in the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, this miniseries brings the poignant teachings of Ethics of Our Fathers to life, allowing its messages to resonate with participants and inspire personal growth.

Dates & Times
The course date hasn't yet been announced for this location. Please email menachem@chabadso.org.au or call 9507 2368 for more info.
Endorsements Endorsements, Reviews and Comments of JLI's Courses and Programs.
Professor Judea Pearl (Father of Daniel Pearl) Director, Cognitive Systems Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles

It is history that gives humans the sense of immortality and a bond that transcends passing differences. I applaud JLI for launching this worldwide study of Jewish history, a unique opportunity to rediscover our collective identity.

Natan Sharansky Noted Soviet dissident, Former Member of Israeli Knesset

In these tumultuous times, strengthening our identity is critical. JLI's course, The Land and the Spirit, provides an intriguing opportunity to connect to our roots, to be empowered by a personal link with our people and history, and to understand our bond to Israel. It is only by drawing a clear line from the past to the present that each of us can chart a course for a creative, constructive, and fulfilling future as part of the Jewish People.

Professor Alan M. Dershowitz Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Harvard Law School

I found the Rohr JLI course You Be The Judge fascinating. If my first-year students had been exposed to this material before starting law school, they would be better prepared for the rigors of the Socratic method.

Elyakim Rubinstein Israeli Supreme Court Justice, Former Attorney General of Israel

Many thanks for sharing with me the exciting Rohr JLI curriculum of You Be The Judge and for the excellent idea of bringing the treasure of Jewish law, a major point of Jewish life and Jewish ethos, to the attention of interested people.

Ellen Langer, PhD Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, Bestselling Author of eleven books including Mindfulness, Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and The Power of Possibility, Cambridge, MA

On the level of the individual to the level of culture, the ills we experience, by and large, result from mindlessness. The wisdom discussed in Toward a Meaningful Life should be widely read to help provoke a reversal of this trend and lead us to mindful lives full of everyday meaning.

Professor Jonathan D. Sarna Director, Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program, Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, Brandeis University

I am delighted to learn that the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute has created the course entitled Flashbacks in Jewish History. The great encounters between Judaism and its surrounding civilizations are of paramount importance for anyone seeking to understand Jewish life in the past as well as in the present.

Sir Martin Gilbert Leading Historian Official Biographer of Sir Winston Churchill

The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and Rabbi Aaron Herman are to be congratulated for their challenging course, The Land and The Spirit, in which the spiritual values and centrality of the Land of Israel are expounded through a fascinating range of religious and secular texts. These texts span a remarkably wide range of opinions, from Moses to Herzl, from Rashi to Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, from Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson to Natan Sharansky (There is No Zionism Without Judaism), from the Talmud to the opinion writers of the Jerusalem Post. These texts, like the course itself, will serve a noble cause in stimulating thought and encouraging understanding.

Marlene Post President, Hadassah International, Chair for North America, Birthright Israel (Taglit)

The story of our people is filled with tales of leadership and vision, kindness and compassion. These are the gifts that enriched our own communities, and they are gifts we have shared with others around the world. The past provides us the inspiration to continue to work for the betterment of society.

Past Courses

The Jewish Course of Why

March 2016
The Jewish Course of Why

Give your Judaism the intellection you know it deserves. Prepare to tackle the quizzical, queer, and seemingly-unanswerable questions about Jewish belief and practice.

Ever wondered why there are so many Jews in Hollywood? Why Jews eat gefilte fish and cholent and wish each other mazal tov and l’chaim? Why the Bible sanctions slavery and animal sacrifices? What is the cause of antisemitism? What does Judaism say about Christianity? About the role of women in Jewish life? You will also gain insight into mysterious Jewish practices, strange biblical narratives, and enigmas of Jewish identity.  

 

Journey of the Soul

October 2015
Journey of the Soul

Journey of the Soul explores the mysteries surrounding the spiritual dimension of our existence—our destiny that continues even after we’ve shed our earth-bound body suit. We examine the transition of the soul into the hereafter, the kinds of legacies that are valued even after we’ve forsaken this earthly existence, and the accompanying emotional journey and rituals that help the soul and those closest to it prepare for its new reality.