What resources does Judaism offer for cultivating joy, acting ethically, and finding meaning in a 21st-century world that can often feel chaotic and disorienting? Who or what (or where) is God, and how can spiritual practice sustain us in our work, relationships, and commitments? In this 2-semester introductory course, we’ll explore Jewish holidays, texts, rituals, practices, theology, philosophy, political thought, and mysticism as lenses through which to address these and other critical questions. We won’t be trying to find “the” solution to any of them; instead, we’ll be looking for new ways to ask the questions and wrestle with the multiple — and often contradictory — potential answers.
