8:00pm: Music, High Tuition, Being “Mekarev” the Opposite Gender

This week’s edition of MyLife: Chassidus Applied with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Episode 32, will air tonight, Sunday, here on CrownHeights.info beginning at 8:00pm. This week, Rabbi Jacobson will address the topics of: Fleeing a Jewish Community, Is Israel Still the Safest Place, Alternative Medicine, Music, High Tuition, Being “Mekarev” the Opposite Gender.

“Your explanation of non-Jews seemed a bit progressive and not consistent with what we learned about the topic.” This was one of the many comments received after last week’s MyLife Episode 31. Here are some more questions: “Is there any situation which warrants Jews fleeing their communities due to fear of anti-Semitism?” “Is Israel still the safest place on earth, as the Rebbe said?” “Has the non-Jewish world become more refined and less of a threat or are we being protected by G-d?” “Are there any guidelines in chassidus about using alternative medicine versus mainstream approaches?” “Is it acceptable to be “mekarev” a person of the opposite gender?” “Is classical music more acceptable than rock and roll?” “Does Jewish music become unkosher if the artist is not observant? Does the Rebbe recommend pursuing a music career?

Rabbi Jacobson will also be addressing the pressing topic of tuition and the financial burden it places on many families. How can one afford housing, food and full tuition for multiple children living off of two small salaries? How does one decide whether to live in a Jewish community which provides excellent chinuch versus moving to a more affordable city that may compromise the quality of your children’s education? Is there any advice and words of chizuk for feeling like there is no way out of the hole of financial stress?

Tune in this Sunday night for the next episode of MyLife: Chassidus Applied. This hour-long dose of insight is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at www.meaningfullife.com/mylifelive.

The topics in this Sunday’s hour-long broadcast will include:

  • Are we being too “progressive” when it comes to non-Jews?
  • Is there any situation which warrants fleeing our Jewish communities?
  • Is Israel still the safest place on earth?
  • Making ends meet: tuition and livelihood
  • Alternative medicine
  • Should I pursue a musical career?
  • Is classical music permitted?
  • Is it acceptable to be “mekarev” the opposite gender?

MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”

The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?

In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.

All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3’s for listening on the go.

Questions may be submitted anonymously at www.meaningfullife.com/mylifelive.

One Comment

  • Viewer

    Dear crownheights.info,

    Thank you so much for such an enlightening and important program.

    I do have one request, however: in the article, there is a list of the 8 topics that Rabbi Jacobson is supposed to address in the video, but in reality only the first 5 topics are addressed, and the last 3 are not included.

    Could you please do your best to be more accurate in the advertised list of topics?

    It is quite frustrating to find out that the advertised topics were not addressed, and makes a person less inclined to watch future programs, where s/he does not know if the advertised topics would actually be discussed or not…

    In other words, please erase the last 3 topics from this week’s list, and in the future, do not include in the lists topics that are not actually discussed in the videos. It is very frustrating!

    Other than that, again: a big thank-you for such a wonderful project!