Chabad Jewish Center
Location 25 Harris Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033 USA
Phone860-659-2422
Endorsements Endorsements, Reviews and Comments of JLI's Courses and Programs.
Past Courses

Oasis in Time

May 2011
Oasis in Time

We invite you to explore the mystical, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of Shabbat as we unlock a model for achieving balance and serenity in the modern age.

Over six weeks, we’ll uncover timeless principles for how to achieve a life of inner peace while making each workday more productive and fulfilling.

Sign up today for a remarkable experience.

Toward A Meaningful Life

February 2011
Toward A Meaningful Life

Life can be a treadmill - as we go through the motions day after day without ever asking why or seeking what really matters to us. This course, prepared by the author of the best-selling book, Toward a Meaningful Life, is determined to change that. Here are strategies, tips, and suggestions for not only discovering where your true meaning lies, but in actually making it a part of your daily existence. Whether you are dealing with family relationships or job satisfaction, this course  will help you look beyond a crisis to find the lessons within. Most important of all, these sessions will help you see life as the mysterious, challenging, and satisfying wonder that it really is.

Medicine and Morals

October 2010
Medicine and Morals

- A man wonders if his dying father should remain on life support.
What would you do?

 - A parent wonders if they should tell their child he has a potentially serious genetic disorder.
What would you do?

 - A woman wonders if she’s morally obligated to give a kidney to her cousin who has to undergo dialysis daily.
What would you do?

Chances are, like most people, you don’t know what you would do — or even where you would turn for guidance. But with medicine’s increasing role in our lives, most of us will have to face such issues at some point or another.

That’s why you’ll want to know about a remarkable new course called Medicine and Morals: Your Jewish Guide through Life’s Tough Decisions. It’s based on two premises: (1) that Jewish wisdom has much to say about these matters; and (2) that the best time to deal with them is now, while the pressure is off.

Actually, there’s a third premise: that today's complex medical issues are fascinating, profound, and likely to kick up amazingly lively classroom discussion.

No easy questions. No easy answers. Medicine and Morals, is your chance to get real with the subject of medical ethics —discuss actual case histories, and get a sense of direction to weather the toughest challenges you’ll ever face.

Medicine and Morals: Your Jewish Guide through Life’s Tough Decisions, coming this October to your local JLI chapter.


This course is eligible for CLE credits in the following US States: Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin

Canadian physicians attending this activity may record MOC (Maintenance of Certification) Section 1 credits.

This course is approved for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits in the United Kingdom by the Royal College of Physcians for medical professionals, and by both The Law Society and the Bar Standards Board for Solicitors and Barristers. Special thanks to the United Kingdom Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (UKAJLJ).

You Be the Judge II

February 2009
You Be the Judge II

How does an ancient system of law adapt to the modern world? See how Talmudic scholars respond to new advances in technology and society while remaining faithful to eternal principles. You Be the Judge II presents six new cases that invite you to pit your wits against some of the best minds in Jewish history.


This course is eligible for CLE credits in the following US States: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and New Mexico

This course is approved for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits in the province of British Columbia, Canada by the Legal Society of British Columbia, Canada.

This course is approved for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits in the United Kingdom by both the Law Society and the Bar Council. Special thanks to the United Kingdom Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (UKAJLJ).

Fascinating Facts

November 2011
Fascinating Facts

Does Judaism believe in guardian angels? Why do Jews use matchmakers? Who wrote the handwriting on the wall? A fun course in Jewish cultural literacy, full of surprising facts, myths, and mysteries surrounding Jewish tradition and practice.

Wrestling with Faith

October 2018
Wrestling with Faith

Most people, even the devout, struggle with beliefs about G-d. It is easy, for example, to affirm the basic tenets of Judaism during a prayer service, but when it comes to trusting G-d with our daily decisions, many share a secret, painful fear that G-d isn’t really looking out for them. Many of us have been brought up under the assumption that mainstream science is incompatible with our Jewish faith. So when we see compelling evidence for biological evolution, for example, we feel forced to choose between science and our faith. Wrestling with Faith was created to tackle questions like these—the “big issues” that keep people from an intimate relationship with G-d. The course acknowledges the often unspoken doubts and fears that all people share, and seizes their invitation for us to dig deeper for the answers.

Worrier to Warrior

November 2019
Worrier to Warrior

We yearn to feel happy, self-assured, and enthusiastic, yet we’re consumed by feelings of doubt, regret, insecurity, and suffering. Do our delicate positive emotions have a fighting chance at being in control? This course explores negative emotions in a completely new light, offering spiritual mechanisms that allow us to remain upbeat no matter what life brings.

With All My Heart

May 2019
With All My Heart

Whether you’re seeking relief from stress; you’re hoping for focus, clarity, and connection to a raw and vulnerable place deep within you; or you just want to start each day from a positive, humble, and grateful frame of mind, this course is for you.

Jewish wisdom teaches profound techniques to give wings to our emotions and words to our yearnings, allowing us to make contact and communicate with something larger than ourselves and feel comfort and shelter within a reality that’s more whole, more intense, more real, and more beautiful.
 

Crime and Consequence

February 2019
Crime and Consequence

When innocent people are wrongly convicted...
When "correctional facilities" turn first-time offenders into hardened criminals...
When known murderers walk free on a technicality …
Fairness in justice simply cannot be left to chance.

In Crime and Consequence, we explore 3000 years of Jewish wisdom concerning criminal convictions, sentencing, crime prevention, and rehabilitation. We challenge our thinking, pondering the application of Talmudic principles to real and complex, modern-day cases, and we get to the heart of questions such as:

Should we consider testimonies given in exchange for a reduced sentence as reliable evidence?
What is the goal of punishing criminals? is it to gain retribution for the victim, keep criminals off the streets and safeguard from future crime, set an example and instill the fear of law, or to rehabilitate the criminal and reintroduce him to society?
Is life-without-parole a justifiable penalty? Is it within our right to sentence a man to death? When would these be warranted? Is there a better way?

From Sinai to Cyberspace

May 2006
From Sinai to Cyberspace

A lot can change in 3,000 years. We've gone from camel backs to Cadillacs, and have entered a world of fast-paced technological advance. We've gone from a Jewish world marked by prophets and pilgrimages to a world where students study Torah in cyber-classrooms and rabbis address ethical question posed by organ transplants.

Yet the elemental questions about our tradition remain the same. How do we know what G-d wants of us in this world? Do we have any evidence that the Bible text is divine and true? How can we understand its cryptic passages? Why are the rabbis so concerned with minute details? Who has the right to interpret the Bible? How do we adapt its laws to modern times and changing influences?

The answers to these questions are addressed in "From Sinai to Cyberspace," the most popular course ever offered by the Jewish Learning Institute. Newly revised on the basis of feedback from students like yourself, this interactive course promises to intrigue and inspire as you explore the history and development of Jewish law and tradition.

The journey "From Sinai to Cyberspace" represents the inner story of our lives and of our people. We invite you to join us for the ride.

Portraits in Leadership

February 2010
Portraits in Leadership

Discover inner courage, determination, and resilience in the life stories of legendary Talmudic figures. Witness the strength of human character in tales that are sure to resonate within your soul and inspire you to unleash the power within.

One part biography,
One part history,
All parts inspiration

The Kabalah of Time

February 2006
The Kabalah of Time

Examine time and the Jewish calendar through the mystical lens of Kabbalah. Time is a profound organizing element of our existence, and the cycle of the Jewish calendar provides a powerful template for personal growth.

Discover both a practical understanding of the structure of the Jewish calendar as well as mystical insights into recurrent patterns of time.

Biblical Reflections

May 2009
Biblical Reflections

Everybody loves a good story. A good story takes hold of the imagination and provides a window into the human soul.

The stories of the book of Genesis are the oldest stories in the world, yet they continue to inspire countless retellings and adaptations. They retain their power because they deal with the most powerful of human motives: the quests for love, purpose, identity, and redemption. They also explore the inner obstacles that threaten these goals: lust, greed, hatred and jealousy.

When you explore these stories, you will identify with characters who grapple with the feelings and dilemmas that are at the heart of the human experience. You will see how their stories are also the stories of YOUR life, reflecting your joy and your pain, your struggles and your victories. And you will learn how the Torah’s eternal values provide insight that helps you respond more thoughtfully as you face critical moments of your own.

The Messiah Mystery

May 2005
The Messiah Mystery

No idea in human history has inspired so much hope or ignited so much debate. It is the dream that has motivated prophets, poets, sages and mystics. It is the basis for the beliefs of billions across the globe.

What is this Jewish ideal, "Mashiach" - the Messiah? Where is its source? When did it become so important to Judaism? Why? How is it relevant to the here and now?

The Kabbalah of Character

January 2007
The Kabbalah of Character

You are unlike any person who has ever lived before. How can you make the most of the gifts you have been given?
 
The Kabbalah of Character, a new and expanded revision of our popular course "Soul Powers," is designed to help you understand the unique mix of qualities that define your individuality. Drawing on the organizational structure of the Kabbalah, this course examines the nature of the human soul created in the image of G-d.

The Kabbalah of Character is not a quick-fix. You won't learn how to become a perfect person in eight easy lessons. But you will learn strategies for making changes that are lasting and real. Authored by Rabbi Moshe Miller, noted scholar of Kabbalah, the course invites you to choose from among a wealth of reflective approaches to chart your own path to personal growth. It includes wisdom to amaze you and stories to inspire you, as well as journal exercises and practical tools to help you apply the lessons to your own life.
So spend eight weeks learning the secrets that will help you unlock your inner potential.
Because you won't know what you can be... until you hold a mirror to your soul.

Flashbacks In Jewish History

April 2007
Flashbacks In Jewish History

In his parting instructions to his people, Moses stresses the importance of historical perspective, for the present is an outgrowth of our past. By studying history, we are able to relate to current issues with greater understanding.
The story of the Jewish people is a story of a nation that has contributed to world history far more than might be expected from its small numbers. Indeed, it is remarkable how often the Jews have been found at the epicenter of world events. Many surveys of Jewish history have responded to this fact by considering the impact of Jews upon other nations and their contributions to history at large.
This course, however, looks at the Jewish encounter with other cultures in light of what these interactions have meant to us as Jews. The protean ability of the Jewish people to adapt to wildly different contexts has growing relevance to all of us as we enter an era of globalization and increasingly permeable borders.
This April, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute is proud to launch a new course, "Flashbacks in Jewish History." Each of the six lessons considers the Jewish people as they grapple with surrounding cultures. Rather than focus on the geopolitical, we have kept an eye towards themes that resonate with contemporary Jewish experience. We expect even those students who do not consider themselves history enthusiasts to find the readings compelling and relevant.

The Land and the Spirit

October 2007
The Land and the Spirit

Explore the spirit of a land that has pulsed with energy and mystery since the dawn of time, a land that has captured our imagination throughout history, a land that breathes with the glory of our past and the dreams of our future. Join us as we examine what Israel was meant to be, and what Israel means to us today.

Soul Maps

November 2008
Soul Maps

Perhaps you have struggled before with the elusive search for meaning, and wished you had a personal mentor to guide your growth. What if you had the chance to meet one of the greatest masters of Kabbalah and learn ancient proven strategies for self-realization and contentment?

This fall, you’ll have that chance. Soul Maps, a new course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, investigates Tanya, the fundamental text of Chassidic thought. The course is structured as a six-session consultation with the author of the Tanya, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. During each session, you will receive insight into your inner world and you will discover new strategies for overcoming obstacles to change and progress. You’ll learn to resolve guilt, conflict, and confusion, and to traverse life’s journey with joy, purpose, and direction.

Talmudic Ethics

May 2008
Talmudic Ethics

This course is eligible for CLE credits in the following US States: AL, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MN, MO, NC, NV, NM, NY, OH, OR, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WA and WI


When your heart is pulled in two directions, how do you know which tug to follow? The Talmud lays down principles that can help you disentangle warring intuitions so that you can clearly discern right from wrong. In this course, we invite you to experience the fascinating application of law and logic as the rabbis struggle to determine what is just.

Men, Women & Kabbalah

January 2005
Men, Women & Kabbalah

Viewed through the prism of Kabbalah, gender is an essential quality of the cosmos. From mystical secrets of reincarnation to practical tips on enhancing relationships, Judaism's ancient teachings will bring new depth in understanding life's most challenging issues.