8:00pm: Divorce, Uninspired Community, Women in Public Roles

This week’s edition of MyLife: Chassidus Applied with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Episode 65, will air tonight, Sunday, here on CrownHeights.info, beginning at 8:00pm. This week Rabbi Jacobson will address the topics: divorce, an uninspired community and women in public roles.

“Rabbi Jacobson, I appreciate your ability and willingness to speak candidly about many sensitive topics. I am not sure if this is crossing the line, but can you address the rising rate of divorce in the community? Why is this happening? Is it a crisis? What can we do about it?”

It is not uncommon to hear stories of people feeling disappointed and uninspired by their communities. While it is easy to complain, we must channel that energy into doing something about it and creating the change we’d like to see. What are some practical ways to empower those in the community who have so much to offer but find themselves marginalized? How can we inspire the current leadership to embrace change? What are some actual steps that can be taken to revitalize ourselves and in turn, our communities?

“Why do Chabad women rarely give speeches to mixed audiences and be more active in the public sphere. If women have so much to give why can’t they do it more pronounced? I understand that the ‘honor of a princess is within,’ but is there anything wrong with them taking a more active public role?”

In this episode, Rabbi Jacobson will also continue some previous topics and address constructive criticism about his approach and answers.

“I feel like you went a little ‘soft’ on spiritual seekers learning practices outside of Judaism in episode 63. We should have a zero tolerance policy.  I don’t see any flexibility or leniency from the Rebbeim on these matters. If we dance around right and wrong our children will have less respect and perhaps a smaller chance of returning back to ‘Torah spirituality’ down the road.

In addition, we will continue reviewing essays submitted in the MyLife: Chassidus Applied contest. Each week he will present key ideas of selected essays, and also analyze the elements and criteria that made the essay stand out, while also providing guidance in how to improve your capacity in applying Chassidus, helping you become next year’s winner! In this week’s episode he will be discussing “Mending Broken Vessels: Healing Parenting Advice” by Dina Hendel, “Oneness” by Michoel Goldman, “Against our Nature, but the Ultimate Pleasure” by Zvi Lipchik.

This hour-long dose of insights 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:

  • Chassidus Applied to Pirkei Avot and Parshat Acharei-Kedoshim
  • The divorce crisis: Why? What we can do?
  • Should women take public roles?
  • Uninspired by community (follow-up)
  • Seeking spirituality outside of Judaism (follow-up)
  • Women davening  (follow-up)
  • MyLife Essays:  Parenting advice, Oneness, Against our nature

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.