Pardes Executive Learning Seminar
June 30 –July 4, 2019 | Shaping Meaningful Relationships in a Lonely World
Summer 2019
Shaping Meaningful Relationships in a Lonely World
In the description of creation, at the outset of the Torah, God declares: “It is not good for the Adam to be alone.” By creating a spouse, God firmly plants the need for relationships at the epicenter of the human experience. But relationships are complicated. In the words of the Midrash: “If a man and woman merit, the Divine Presence dwells in their midst; but if not – they are consumed by fire!” Relationships can bring joy, intimacy and a feeling of wholeness and completion; but they can also lead to anger, alienation and destruction. The Torah, Talmud and later Codes, examine and set the legal parameters of a wide range of relationships – husband and wife, parent and child, teacher and student, leader and nation, God and people. Not only do they explore the unique challenges inherent in each type of relationship, but they discuss and offer solutions to the inevitable conflicts that result from competing relationships.
While technology has facilitated and expanded our ability to connect with people, bridging the chasms of space and time, it has also limited and complicated the nature of our communication by having it mediated through a machine. In some cases, our preoccupation and fixation with the technology has become a substitute for serious engagement with people and God, leading to a profound sense of existential loneliness. Each day of this Seminar we will examine a different area of relationship – to self, to family, to community, and to God, from the vast literature of Jewish sources – Biblical, Talmudic, Codes of Law and Responsa. We will study and analyze complex situations where relationships clash; we will explore possible solutions alongside ways of living with tension. By the end of the Seminar, we will be in a better position to navigate the different relationships in our lives, which impact us all so deeply.
Topics
of Study
• Can I love others if I don’t love myself? • Who comes first – my parents, my children or my spouse? • What is the balance between giving of myself and protecting myself? • Does the “will of God” take precedence over my moral sensibilities?
Communal Leaders. Professionals. Lifelong Learners. You.
Seminar Details
June 30–July 4, 2019 Tuition: $1,400 (15% discount before January 1) Family discount available. See website for details.
Registration and information
www.pardes.org.il/executive
USA: +1 212 447 4333
executive@pardes.org.il
Israel: + 972 2 673 5210 ext 229
Programming, lunch, tours and some evening meals included. Flights and accommodation should be arranged individually. See website for hotel recommendations.