Advanced Learning Institute - Jewish Collaborative of Orange County

Advanced Learning Institute: Mondays 9:30-10:30 AM (Pacific)

Upcoming Classes

Looking for in-depth Jewish learning? Join our ongoing group of adult learners and engage with gifted Jewish scholars from around the country.

Upcoming Classes

September 23, 30, Oct 7 and 14 | Job: When Bad Things Happen to Good People

ALI Archives

To see a menu of recent courses and to view recordings click here.

Job: When Bad Things Happen to Good People with Rabbi Suzanne Singer

Mondays - 9:30 am PT | 12:30 am ET
September 23, 30, Oct 7 and 14

Experiencing inexplicable pain and suffering is an aspect of the human condition that people of every faith tradition have wrestled with for millennia. The Book of Job invites us into a conversation about the connection between suffering and punishment by exploring the story of one righteous man confronted with overwhelming misfortune through no fault of his own. Join us as we explore the complex topic of theodicy and pathways for coping in the face of disaster.

Register for "Job: When Bad Things Happen to Good People"

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We are a patron-supported organization. While no donation is required to participate in ALI, we rely on participant donations to sustain this program. All Collaborative programs are made possible through voluntary contributions. Every gift is greatly appreciated!

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Kabbalah and Catastrophe: Historical Memory in Premodern Jewish Mysticism with Professor Hartley Lachter

Mondays - 9:00 am PT | 12:00 pm ET
Note time change from our regular ALI schedule

October 28 | History's Terrors: Kabbalah and Jewish Misfortune
November 4 | Reincarnation and Multiple Universes in Medieval Kabbalah
November 18 | Kabbalistic Visions of Messianic Redemption and the End of History

In his latest book, Professor Lachter analyzes innovative kabbalistic doctrines, such as the idea of reincarnation and the notion of multiple successive universes, through which Jewish mystics sought to demonstrate that the misfortunes of Jewish history were in fact necessary steps toward redemption.

In addition to his role as the Philip and Muriel Berman Chair in Jewish Studies and Associate Professor of Religion Studies at Lehigh University, Hartley Lachter is an annual summer scholar at Camp Ramah in the Rocky Mountains. He is also the author of Kabbalistic Revolution: Reimagining Judaism in Medieval Spain (2014) and very serious about his coffee.

Learn more about the book here

Pre-order at a discount using the coupon code below

Register for "Kabbalah and Catastrophe"