The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) will present Life in the Balance: Jewish Perspectives on Everyday Medical Dilemmas, the institute’s new six-session Fall 2013 course that will begin during the week of Tuesday, October 29.

Rabbi Ruvi New of Chabad of East Boca will conduct the six course sessions at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 29 at 120 NE 1st Ave. in Boca Raton.

“Nowadays, at some point or another, everyone faces an extremely difficult medical decision that they aren’t equipped to handle,” said Rabbi Zalman Abraham of JLI’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. “Our objective with this course is to acquaint the public with fascinating Jewish perspectives on some of the most cutting-edge dilemmas in medical ethics.”

In Life in the Balance, participants will ponder ethical questions about a range of topics ranging from end of life issues to preventive measures and respect due to the body after death. Questions include: Must we prolong life at the expense of immense suffering? Should we legalize compensation for organs to save the lives of those on the transplant list? And where do we draw the line between keen vigilance to safeguard one’s health and pointless panic? The course will also explore ethical ramifications of fascinating new technologies such as digital autopsies, and uterine transplants.

“These important issues are critical to so many people’s lives yet they are rarely discussed nowadays, ” said Rabbi New. “This is a unique opportunity that will benefit the wider community of Boca Raton, and we invite everyone to attend.”

Like all JLI programs, Life in the Balance is designed to appeal to people at all levels of Jewish knowledge, including those without any prior experience or background in Jewish learning. The course is offers AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits for medical professionals, CLE credits for attorneys in most states, and AGD PACE credits for dentists. All JLI courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated with a particular synagogue, temple, or other house of worship.

Interested students may call 561-417-7797 or visit www.ChabadBocaBeaches.com for registration and other course-related information.

JLI, the adult education branch of Chabad Lubavitch, offers programs in more than 600 U.S. cities and in numerous foreign locations, including Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. More than 320,000 students have attended JLI classes since the organization was founded in 1998.

Members of the local media are invited to observe a class and/or conduct an advance interview with the local course facilitator. Interviews with national facilitators and course creators may be scheduled upon request. Contact Rabbi Ruvi New at [email protected] or 561-417-7797 for more information.