North Suburban Lubavitch Chabad
Location 874 Central Ave., Highland Park, IL 60035 United States of America
Phone847 433-1567
Upcoming Course: Decoding the Talmud

Decoding the Talmud

Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism

Enter the intricate world of the Talmud: the monumental classic that has defined Jewish learning for centuries. Join this six-week course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute to discover the Talmud, its history, authors, and significance—and experience it for yourself.

You'll learn the key terms, logical principles, and historical context required to decode every part of the Talmudic page. Plus, see how it became central to Jewish life and why it inspires fascination, debate, and study today.

Course Details
Lesson 1 The Jewish People and the Talmud

Why Jewish life orbits a book of law.

Jewish law’s ultimate record is the Talmud, but what is Jewish law? Explore its nature, scope, and roots in the written Torah and Oral Law—and see learning’s central role in Jewish practice and culture.

Lesson 2 The Mishnah

The origins, authors, and contents of Judaism’s first legal code.

See how Jewish law shifted from oral tradition to written code and encounter the Mishnah’s precise style, tight structure, and tolerance for debate—and its spiritual significance in Jewish life.

Lesson 3 Decrypting the Mishnah

How the sages studied, debated, and understood the Mishnah.

Discover the tools, methods, and principles the sages employed in the centuries-long effort to unpack the Mishnah’s full practical implications.

Lesson 4 To Create the Talmud

How the sages shaped its structure and substance.

Meet the pivotal sages in the Talmud’s story—from Rav and Shmuel’s first academies to Rav Ashi and Ravina’s final text—and see how they wove in stories as well as ethical and philosophical teachings.

Lesson 5 How the Talmud Thinks

A unique method of logic—and why it matters.

Understand the Babylonian Talmud’s rigorous mode of legal reasoning, how it balances dueling principles to arrive at clear legal boundaries, and how its elegant logic fuels deeper learning.

Lesson 6 The Talmud until Today

Talmudic literature and fifteen centuries of constant study.

See how and why the Talmud became the core of Jewish law and discover the vast literature of responsa, legal codes, and commentaries that continue the conversation until today.

Dates & Times
The course date hasn't yet been announced for this location. Please email [email protected] or call 847 433-1567 for more info.
Upcoming Course: Colorful Profiles

Colorful Profiles

Short Stories of Extraordinary and Unexpected Characters from Jewish History

Join this four-week journey to encounter twelve stories of Jewish history’s most fascinating men and women. Discover the incredible Jewish lives of converts, captives, royal advisors, philosophers, philanthropists, and more. You’ll be fascinated by their sacrifices, adventures, and achievements, and get a vivid look at our people’s rich heritage and history.

Dates & Times
The course date hasn't yet been announced for this location. Please email [email protected] or call 847 433-1567 for more info.
Endorsements Endorsements, Reviews and Comments of JLI's Courses and Programs.
Past Courses

Jewpernatural

May 2023
Jewpernatural

As we understand the natural world better, we have only grown more fascinated by mysterious topics like the meaning of dreams; the existence of angels, demons, and extraterrestrials; and the power of the evil eye. With record interest inspiring curiosity, dread, and mockery, this course probes the Talmud, Jewish philosophy, and kabbalah to provide Jewish
perspectives and guidance for those curious about these perennial questions.

Book Smart

January 2023
Book Smart

A panoramic overview of 3000 years of Jewish learning, this course introduces you to the works that earned us the title “The People of The Book.” You will experience the different genres that shape Jewish life, including Tanach, Midrash, Talmud, Halachah, Philosophy, Kabbalah, Musar, Chasidism, and meet the influential personalities who drove thirty centuries of Jewish scholarship. Whether you’re meeting these texts for the first time or as a seasoned scholar, this course will inform and enrich all your Jewish learning.

My G-d

November 2022
My G-d

Nothing is off-limits as this refreshingly open course asks piercing questions about G-d and delivers profound, insightful answers. An enlightening study into G-d’s nature, G-d’s goal for creation, human experiences of G-d, the role of religion, and the function of miracles and prayer, this course promises to satisfy your questions, including those you didn't know you had.

 

The World of Kabbalah

November 2023
The World of Kabbalah

Discover the core mystical and spiritual teachings of Kabbalah and their relevance to everyday life. You’ll learn to think like a Jewish mystic and gain powerful insights to fuel deeper self-understanding and personal growth. Curious why there’s so much buzz around Kabbalah? Discover it for yourself by attending The World of Kabbalah.

Advice for Life

January 2024
Advice for Life

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s spiritual leadership is the force behind the modern Chabad movement.

Join this new multimedia course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute to journey through the Rebbe’s practical wisdom on work, family, health, and well-being. Discover how the Rebbe applied Jewish values to serve as a guide for finding deeper meaning in everyday life.

 

Experience the Rebbe’s exceptional approach to uncovering timeless meaning in everyday questions of health, work, family, fulfillment, struggle, and inner peace.

Nurturing Relationships

November 2024
Nurturing Relationships

Nurturing Relationships
Jewish Wisdom for Building Deeper, Richer Connection in All Your Relationships

Relationships don’t just happen—they’re nurtured. This course empowers you to enhance, enrich, and nurture all your interpersonal relationships—at home, at work, and beyond. 

Explore classic Jewish texts to uncover knowledge and skills for practicing empathy, active listening, agreeable disagreement, interpersonal optimism, constructive criticism, and effective relationship repair. 

This course will satisfy most states' continuing education requirements for Medical Doctors, Psychologists, Social Workers, LMFTs, and LMHC/LPCs. 

Go to myjli.com/continuingeducation for a complete accreditation statement.

Decisions of Fate

May 2024
Decisions of Fate

Explore the guiding Jewish values that help inform choices on common medical questions. This course will equip students with the tools to chart a path through four areas of medical ethics: experimental treatments, extending life, pregnancy questions, and caring for a body. Gain an enriching perspective on how the Jewish ethical tradition helps us confidently navigate fateful decisions.

Beyond Right

May 2022
Beyond Right

Talmudic analysis and mind-bending logic have long been a hallmark of Jewish scholarship. But buried beneath much of the discussion and legalese are core Jewish values that fuel so much of the debate. This course examines a number of key legal issues that disclose fundamental ethical considerations that serve as the engine of Jewish civil law.

 

MCLE BOARD-APPROVED IN MANY STATES FOR UP TO NINE (9) CLE CREDITS FOR ATTORNEYS

Visit www.myjli.com/accreditation for a complete accreditation statement

Meditation from Sinai

February 2022
Meditation from Sinai

The Torah was given at Sinai. So were the meditative tools to help us open up, see more, and live more deeply.

This course teaches the what, how, why, where, and when of Divine Meditation, Mindful Awareness, and Soulful Transcendence. 

 

Learn more about available continuing education credit for medical and mental health professionals at www.myjli.com/continuingeducation

 

Judaism's Gifts to the World

January 2020
Judaism's Gifts to the World

By most indications, modern society is a model of moral progress. Yet when it comes to everyday values, we still grapple with the big ones…

   - What are our responsibilities toward the less fortunate?
   - How do we fashion a more moral and equal society?
   - How can we make a move toward more cohesive family living?

Join us to unpack six of the world’s most cherished values and how they were delivered to humankind by the Torah. By tracing their fascinating journey to the mainstream, we’ll discover a timeless core of purpose, integrity, and clarity in each value—a powerful gift of guidance as we navigate our own daily choices.

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.

Secrets of the Bible

November 2020
Secrets of the Bible

A lush garden...a snake...forbidden fruit...temptation...the sin of knowledge...shame...mortality...
What is really going on?

Revisit six seemingly absurd stories you likely remember from Hebrew school. Uncover their hidden themes and eye-opening insights into the mysteries of life.
~ What is the deeper meaning behind these stories?
~ How did they shape the Jewish worldview?
~ What wisdom do they hold for you today?

Sign up for a thought-provoking experience, sure to deepen your understanding of Judaism and enrich your life!

Journey of the Soul

February 2021
Journey of the Soul

Who hasn’t wondered what happens when we die? We know what happens to the body. But what happens to the soul at birth and again at death?

Is there really a “better” place after this one?

Do our loved ones continue to connect with us?

Can I relate to an afterlife if I’m not spiritual?

At once practical and powerful, reflective and relatable, Journey of the Soul teaches a Jewish perspective on life that begins before birth and lasts well after a person’s passing.

It’s a journey we all take, and it’s yours to explore this winter.

Learn more about available continuing education credit for medical and mental health professionals at www.myjli.com/continuingeducation

 

 

Outsmarting Antisemitism

November 2021
Outsmarting Antisemitism

Rise above the Hate

We cannot let antisemitism define our Judaism, but we cannot ignore it either. As direct memory of the Holocaust fades, Jews around the world are wondering whether the patterns of past centuries are returning, in both the Old and New Worlds, where Jews experience more hate crimes than any other group.

Are Jewish people doomed to be stuck in this cycle forever? Is there a way to escape this history of hate?

Outsmarting Antisemitism takes this dark subject on squarely, with a sense of unabashed optimism, profound faith, and a distinctly Jewish approach.

Through illuminating source texts and captivating case studies, this course considers the sources of this ancient scourge, along with the appropriate strategies for overcoming it. It’s time to find the confidence to fight hate with hope and to stand tall against antisemitism with positivity, purpose, and plenty of Jewish pride!

This Can Happen

April 2021
This Can Happen

For thousands of years, the prophecies of a “messianic age” stretched the imaginations of even the most fervent believers.

Not anymore.

Instant media, certain mass social movements and a global pandemic have shown us how suddenly and radically the world can be rewired by the actions of a few.

Why not for the good?

Join us to demystify the Jewish idea of a perfect world and discover a practical path for reaching it in our lifetime.

The Dilemma

January 2017
The Dilemma

Accredited for Continuing Legal Education (in most states)

Apply mind-bending, brain-twisting, hair-splitting Talmudic reasoning to solve real-life modern dilemmas—situations that actually happened yet seem impossible to solve. What do you do when your gut tells you one thing, and your brain tells you another? Prepare for a mental expedition to mind-wrestle with situations that force us to choose between two reasonable truths.

Analyze, discuss, and debate Talmudic texts with live interactive polling for an authentic taste of original, dynamic Talmud study.