Curriculum Topics

The Global Day of Jewish Learning curriculum is guided by the concept that our core texts should be accessible to every Jew, regardless of background, skills and affiliation. The innovative curriculum has seven major themes each comprising between two to four classes on specific topics. 

The Talmud tractate Ta’anit, from which the curriculum is drawn, is especially rich in ideas and themes that are universally relevant. Since every class will be drawn from the same Talmud volume, Jews around the world will be engaging with the same primary source, even as we study these diverse topics. 

The Global Day Topics:

Environment
Natural disasters, resulting from both natural phenomena as well as human actions, are an integral part of our life. One part of this session will deal with the definition of such disasters` which phenomena are considered normal, which are classified as local dangers and which are actual catastrophes? Other questions in discussion are: when should one simply let an incident pass and when is an immediate reaction needed? How is the intensity of a disaster calculated? What is the role of humanity in maintaining ecological equilibrium? Another notion explored in this unit is the role of disasters, and natural phenomena at large, as stimulators of communication between humans and God. 

God
Some people believe in God while others say they don’t. Quite often, the common denominator of both groups is their lack of engagement theology. Who or what exactly is that god which so-and-so believes in or denies? Sometimes one finds that it is not only the atheist who rejects a certain childish image of God` the believer does too. Belief is not a prerequisite for this session. It is designed for both believers and non-believers alike. Its purpose is to examine the concept of God – with its various faces and infinite complexity – as it is portrayed in Jewish sources, in an honest, critical and sophisticated manner.

Love
With all that was written and said about love, it still remains a rather vague concept – though very present in our lives. There are numerous types of love, in accordance with its many subjects, its intensity and its level. A love for a child is nothing like a love for a woman` loving music is unlike loving food, and the love for all men is dissimilar to the love of justice. This session will delve into the deep water of various loves, as they reflect in the lives of distinguished personalities and in sayings of wisdom. We will touch the definition of the essence of love, and discuss the love-marriage relationship and the different motives for love.

Leadership
The title “Leader” includes a wide range of roles. Leaders vary based on their source of authority, power, success and long-lasting influence. This group of sessions will analyze the qualities of leadership role models in Jewish history, and somewhat provocatively and counter-intuitively focusing on the attribute of humility needed in leadership. It will further explore the origin of leaders’ power and touch on the possibility of self-appointing leaders.

Miracles
What is a miracle? Does it have to be irrational? What distinguishes a miracle from natural phenomena? Many people tend to think of miracles as Divine interferences in the course of nature. This idea results in the common wisdom that any occurrence that can be explained through scientific means cannot be a miracle. This session challenges this popular conception, and highlights the significance of an incident for a person as a major element in the definition of a miracle. Another part of the man-event relationship is the possibility of the individual to influence – or even generate – the event. This session serves as an opportunity to explore the notion of wonder working people, and strives to elucidate whether and how it is true.

Prayer
Prayer, in the sense of communication with God, is a key concept in Judaism. As in other communication processes, prayer can serve as means for numerous messages and emotions, in accordance with one’s many life events and ever-changing character. This group of sessions explores the many facets of prayer, and a good part of it is dedicated to prayer stories. 

Tzedakah
The Hebrew word “Tzedakah” is not identical with charity. Rather, it derives from the same root as “Tzedek”, justice. Tzedakah is understood in Judaism as the right and just deed of one who is able to assist the needy – thus has an obligation to do so. Therefore, like other obligations, the duty of Tzedakah is fairly defined in its quantity, priorities and limits. On the other hand, being an act of kindness and giving out, Tzedakah is an expression of one’s benevolence and degree of empathy. These attributes do not have clear and absolute definitions, and for this reason one can find astonishing stories of exceptional degrees of Tzedakah going far beyond the letter of the law. These sessions deal with this dialectics of the act of Tzedakah.