Meaningful Life Skills: Weekly Global Class

What is driving the war in Ukraine? Who is Putin and what makes him tick? What can impact him? How will it end? What can we do? Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in a live broadcast on the eve of Purim to discover the surprising answers in the story of Purim - 24 centuries ago!

Interesting stat: More than half the world prays daily. But here is the big question many of us wonder: Is anyone actually listening? Does God even care? Does praying accomplish anything? But before trying to answer these questions, we first need to rethink what exactly is prayer. Prayer is NOT about what God wants from us. Rather, prayer is about what you want from your connection to God. Prayer is not just a desperate effort of someone in crisis, or a crutch based on cultural superstitions. Nor is it merely a religious ritual. Prayer is about attachment -- attaching yourself and pouring your heart out to a Higher Reality, and drawing that power into your life. Communicating your needs, desires and requests to a higher source in your own way, be it through words, tears, pre-written prayers.. whatever talks to you. Prayer is about connecting the big picture with the small picture of your life. It is very effective. It is free, and you can do it anytime and anywhere. Join Rabbi Jacobson and discover the true

Money certainly has the power to corrupt and destroy. Just look around you -- and look back into history -- for countless examples of the ugly ways money perverts people, the extremes individuals will go to in pursuit of wealth, and how it turns people and even families against each other, often with tragic consequences. But money has also been used in the noblest ways and has built the most beautiful institutions. So which one is it? Money clearly can bring out the worst and the best in us. Is money -- and materialism in general -- the root of the problem, or is it our excessive attachment to money and material indulgences? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he challenges us to dig deeper and realize that the real question is not about the nature of money, but the nature of us humans: Are we at heart material beings or spiritual ones? To understand what money is we first need to understand who we are. Discover a new way to look at money and the material world around you -- through the lens of your soul instead o

Do you know how to criticize and discipline in a constructive way? Do you rush to judgment? Does your critique demoralize or motivate? Does it break or build the other's spirit? Very often we insert ourselves into the challenging situation, and react reflexively and emotionally, without deliberating on what would be best to remedy the issue. When faced with circumstances that require disciplinary action, many of us go from one extreme to the next: we either choose to ignore it or we come down hard. Is there a healthier way of disciplining and educating -- be it your child, your student, your employee or anyone else you have influence over -- and even yourself? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he discusses this imperative topic and discover a third approach, which balances constructive critique and productive results. Learn how to integrate discipline with love -- growing the flowers while uprooting the weeds -- in one seamless process of nurturing a beautiful and exquisite garden.

Do you have any idea how much impact pain and pleasure have on your life? How many decisions are made and how our behavior and relationships are shaped by our drive for pleasure and our aversion to pain? Freudian psychology -- as well as other schools of thought -- places the pain and pleasure principle at the center of the psyche and its drives. Marketing and advertising seek to trigger our primal emotions by demonstrating how a product or service will bring us pleasure or prevent pain. Recent studies thicken the plot by showing that pleasure and pain stimulate the same regions in the brain, causing much speculation on the similarities and commonalities between them, and how they affect each other. How much of our pleasure is seeking to numb our pain, and how much of our pain is a result of unfulfilled pleasure -- just to name one intriguing question. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this pioneering talk dissecting the root and "soul" of pain and pleasure. Drawing from millennia old kabbalistic wisdom, discov

We can all agree that a patriarchal society -- the primary model that has prevailed throughout history -- has unjustly been used and abused to control women, subjugating them to inequalities and multiple unfortunate situations. This also explains the birth of the modern feminist movement which seeks to realign the balance, reform the wrongs, and strives to provide women with equality in the workplace, in politics and in the home. The question looms: Has the feminist movement resolved the issue? Or, as some ask, has it further enslaved women, causing them to compete with their male counterparts and forcing them to play by their existing rules. Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he presents a non cosmetic, non superficial solution to the "battle of the sexes''. Identify the causes, not just the symptoms of this battle, and discover how the ultimate antidote to reclaiming our masculine and feminine identities will result in true women's liberation. Learn about these important essential truths and how to navigate th

Within us we each have two primary forces -- two distinct voices -- tugging us in different directions. The drive to survive and the drive to transcend. The first is is consumed with ensuring that we get our material needs met -- food, clothing, shelter, social connections, earning money to pay for these needs. The second seeks to transcend the physical parameters of our routines and discover deeper purpose, meaning and soulfulness. This can be achieved in many different ways -- music, dance, poetry, love, romance, faith, spirituality, just to name a few. In many ways this marks the distinction between body and soul. How do we deal with the inherent dichotomy between these two extremes? Throughout the ages, two schools of thought have emerged to address this conflict. One approach is to focus primarily on our material survival, leaving some limited room for our transcendent needs. Matter takes precedent over spirit. The second approach is to disengage from the distractions of our material pursuits in order t

Every one of us has faced uncertainty and doubt in our lives. Some of us more than others. You know the one about the fellow who said "I used to think I'm indecisive. Now I'm not so sure..." At times our inability to make a decision one way or another can have a debilitating and demoralizing effect. How many opportunities have you missed due to being stuck, not knowing how to proceed. Acute and prolonged indecisiveness can also become a monster of its own, eliciting our fears, insecurities and bringing on a state of lethargy and avoidance of making important changes and moves in our lives. What can we do about this? Please join Rabbi Simon jacobson as he tackles the great challenge of indecisiveness, exploring four different approaches people take when faced with adversity -- resignation, battle, religion, escapism -- and discover a fifth, time-tested method that will change how you see yourself and open you up to new possibilities you could never have imagined.

Who, or what, is your greatest enemy? This simple question is actually quite challenging because we face many different adversarial forces in our lives. We have enemies within and enemies without. We have psychological enemies, emotional enemies and inner demons. We have enemies that are real and some that may be imagined. We have enemies that are physical and many more that are intangible.  And yet from all these adversaries, the single greatest enemy of ours is called fear. Why is fear the most dangerous obstacle in our lives, our worst enemy? Because fear is insidious, it is concealed, invisible. There is no weapon or firepower involved, no smoking guns and loud noises to announce its arrival. Fear works in a very cunning way, with silent strength and quiet power. It is undermining and paralyzing; causing lack of initiative, indecisiveness, stagnation, apathy, demoralization, resignation and so many other symptoms that it can manifest in. Fear is what holds us back from going anywhere in life. And th

As the curtain comes down on this strange and bizarre year of 2021, we are all left wondering: What now? What comes next and how can we possibly prepare for it?  If the past 24 months taught us anything - with covid in the air, political disruptions and upheavals, unprecedented uncertainties - it is that we have very little control of what's going on in the world around us. There has clearly been a tremendous disruption in all our lives. There's practically no sector of life that hasn't been impacted by these events, whether it's work, travel, schooling, entertainment, sports, etc.  And when you couple that with so many other polarizing forces in politics, the debates, the media and modern technology amplifying everything, sometimes we are left feeling disoriented, completely lost at sea.  With all that being said, how can we possibly enter a new year with confidence and positive energy? Is there any hope on the horizon? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as

Here is a provocative yet practical question: Why should I be humble in a self centered world? It's an eat or get eaten, survival of the fittest environment out there. So who will look out for me if not myself?  In the majority of our life's experiences and interactions, it seems that people are it in for themselves, looking how they can further their own agenda, make more money, network in higher circles, etc. If you fit their needs, they might do something for you in return, but it's primarily give and take. Yes, there are those we come across that are truly kind and compassionate, but by and large -- especially with a driven ambition, person -- it's all about me, me, me.  So the question remains: Why choose humility, why be caring and empathetic, in a world surrounded by sharks? How can we advance and be successful without focusing solely on ourselves? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and discover that on the contrary -- bittul and humility are actually the keys and foundation to achieving the

Do you ever feel like a ship adrift at sea, floating around aimlessly, lost and unsure of where to go from here? Are you ever caught up in the chaotic quicksand of life, unable to really find your bearings and pull yourself out of the situation? We all have moments where we find ourselves in that situation, especially during these uncertain and unpredictable times. How can we find the anchor, the stability, needed to help us ride the unpredictable waves around us? Can there be a balance between going with the flow and yet not getting lost in the process? How do we ensure that the chaos doesn't overwhelm us, yet propels us to greater heights? Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for an enlightening class on how to let go and flow. Learn how to navigate every possible situation that comes your way, even the most challenging. Discover the secret of flexibility and resilience, how to adjust and adapt to any circumstance. Become empowered with tools and resources to dive into uncharted territory and embrace the unknown; fa

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Who am I as opposed to what is my occupation? Do I know how to live, or only how to work? Does my personality and identity define my work or does my work define my identity? If I take away my profession, who actually am I at my essential core? Most of our adult lives are preoccupied with work. But to what end? Do you have a mission that is driving the details of your life? Is your self defined by your net worth - or by other external factors such as appearances, status etc? Often we get so caught up in what we do, we forget who we are without that. If someone were to ask "Who are you?" would you have a response other than what you do for a living? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a vital discussion on finding yourself, your true, inner self and how to use that self toward a greater purpose. Learn how YOU and your life mission must define and dictate your life and work, and not have life and work dictate who you are.

We are all seeking ways to become healthier and more productive human beings; searching for the key to loving and sustainable relationships, answers to finding deeper purpose in our lives, and methods to help us live up to our full potential. Often, the secret to achieving such fulfillment is right in front of us, presented to us by our daily life and society. We only need to notice and tap into these messages surrounding us.  Thanksgiving offers us one such vital lesson. It's a good time to ask ourselves: is this holiday anything more than simply turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie? Sitting around with family and football and food... While this all sounds fun and delicious, Thanksgiving presents us with something far far more.   Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson to discuss the powerful message of Thanksgiving, a message that provides us with a most necessary and fundamental tool in life: the tool of gratitude. Thankfulness is far more than being nice and civil. It carries the secret to personal and gl

Dreams have always mesmerized us by their sheer mystery of paradoxes – at times reflecting deeper truths and at times seemingly nonsensical. They are a most mysterious and intriguing concept. Psychologists, poets and romantics throughout the ages (dating back to Biblical times!) all talk about dreams, trying to decipher: What lies behind their mystery? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a fascinating discussion on the beauty and potential of our dreams. Discover how dreams are there to give us a glimpse, a peek behind the curtain, into our inner subconscious and superconscious psyches. Learn about a dimension of yourself that often remains concealed beneath the surface level.

What is the true meaning of Veterans Day? What are we celebrating and what personal lessons can we learn from this day? One of the most powerful and beautiful things a human being can do is put their self interests aside, their selfish needs and ego on hold, to protect and help another. Our veterans have – and continue to – put their lives on the line for something bigger than themselves. They sacrifice themselves for us. It's now time to ask ourselves: Where do we stand in servicing others? What are we contributing to the world? This is the soul, the very essence, of Veterans Day. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this special presentation honoring our veterans, and the larger lessons we learn from them: How to access the very essence and purpose for which we were sent to this earth -- to commit our lives to service, to give, protect and sacrifice ourselves for the good of others. Indeed, serving a higher cause than ourselves is what makes the self greater than it could ever be on its own. In these pol

There is a simple and fundamental truth that many of us don't always follow: The why must always precede the what. Meaning -- before you do something, you must have a reason as to why you are doing it. Yet many of us are stuck in our habits and routines and often the what ends up preceding the why. We first act and only then do we look for a reason for our actions. We do, and then wonder why we just did that. In life it is so critical that the function precede the form. First, understand the purpose and meaning behind every action, and only then can you act on it. This defines your entire life -- Are you simply a victim of circumstances or are you controlling your life, being proactive and mindful of your actions? Which brings us to the most important question of all time: Why was the world created? Once we begin to understand the why, we can then begin to understand the what - what is expected of us, what is our purpose here and

Do you have a picture of what you want your life -- and the world around you -- to look like in the future? And does that drive the details of your life activities? Or is your life just random occurrences and haphazard events that keep you trekking along blindly -- a life driven by the immediate demands and needs, with no larger plan and long-term goals directing you to a greater destination?  The vital importance for a vision and mission in life cannot be overstated. Take any entity or organization. The first step in a successful and efficient business is establishing a mission and vision statement. No enterprise can succeed or function without one. And yet when it comes to our personal lives many of us never gave the idea much thought. Not due to our own fault; we simply were never taught the necessity of having a vision and mission in life, let alone -- implementing it. We often just allow life to happen to us, instead of allowing ourselves to direct our life's trajectory. We are reactive instead of

Do you ever feel like your life is fragmented, composed of so many disjointed pieces, and lacking a common thread connecting them all? These disconnects begin to accumulate and in time become overwhelming as they tug at you and your psyche, pulling you in so many directions. Is there more to life than random occurrences and haphazard events? You may be surprised to hear this, but kabbalists and mystics address this fundamental question with a beautiful and elegant concept called The Divine Sparks. Each one of us is a book - or a musical symphony - and at birth all the different pieces and moving parts of our lives have been scattered, like torn pages of a book - or individual musical notes - and we are tasked with the mission to uncover and discover these sparks, these spiritual opportunities in everything we do. Whether it be in our personal lives, our relationships, our leisure or our work, our calling is to collect every spark and piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle - finding the deeper meaning and p

How would you gauge your confidence level? Do you feel strong and courageous to take on any challenge, or is something holding you back? Truth be told, all people have their fears and insecurities, which can impede their ability to spread their wings and actualize their aspirations and dreams. We can all use a boost in confidence. What can you do to build your confidence? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he dissects the roots of our inhibitions and insecurities, and offers ways to counter these obstacles. Discover three primary factors that undermine and conceal your innate confidence, and three specific methods -- the triple A: Associates, Attitudes and Actions -- that empower you to reclaim and grow your confidence. Learn how to gain inner strength to achieve the things you always hoped for and reach your greatest goals.