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Virtual Events
60 Transformative Psychology Studies & Theories and Jewish perspectives on them
A virtual class series hosted by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
ABOUT THE CLASS:
In this class series, Rabbi Shmuly will explore the Torah of the mind. Examining thinkers like Freud, Piaget, Maslow, Frankl, and so many others, over 60 interactive sessions, we will explore how Jewish thought intersects with modern psychological studies and theories. Looking at consciousness, moral reasoning, ego, love, learning, and evil, how can we better understand why humans act as they do? Considering our relationships, traumas, memories, conflicts, and self-esteem, how can reflecting on the deep complexity of our minds, help us live more meaningful lives? Further, how might Jewish ethics and Jewish philosophy help us ask not just “how do we live” but “how might we live?” Join us for a deep dive into the collective mind, the individual mind, and the Jewish mind.
All are held over Zoom every Tuesday at 10am MT (12pm ET).
Cost: $18/individual class, free for VBM Members
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash.
The Sevenfold Path: A Traveler’s Guide to Jewish Wisdom
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) with Shira Milgrom and David M. Elcott
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Join us for a special book talk. In this traveler’s guide to spiritual practice, Milgrom and Elcott bring the reader to many paths that seekers of the sacred walk. What is the universal sevenfold path? Recognizing a spark of the divine; honoring the covenant with all living things; engaging in healing and growth; opening our lives to the divine presence; seeing where we are as a sacred place; seeking and pursuing justice; and taking time to enjoy a sabbath. They illuminate these paths through inspiring stories, both inherited and personal, drawn from a richly lived Jewish life and encounters with faith communities around the world. For while the universe emerged from one pinpoint of energy and life, it is only in its infinite diversity where God can be found. Indeed, “there is no place devoid of the Presence,” even in the everyday.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Shira Milgrom served as Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains for thirty-seven years and is the editor of a unique prayer book used in Jewish settings across the continent.
David M. Elcott retired as the Taub Professor of Practice at NYU Wagner, is a Senior Fellow at Columbia’s Center for Justice and works with Hudson Link to teach classes to incarcerated individuals. He is the author of Faith, Nationalism and the Future of Liberal Democracy (2021) and A Sacred Journey (1995).
Defining Justice: Do We Want Equity, Equality, or Revolution?
A virtual event presentation by Rabbi Sarah Mulhern
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Own Your Judaism
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
When we say we want to work for justice, what do we actually mean? In this class, we will dive into the question of whether a truly just outcome is about equity, equality, or is revolutionary in nature, and try to understand what the strengths and weaknesses of each approach to changemaking are. Through discussion and the study of rabbinic texts which advocate for each of these approaches in relation to economic justice, we will explore how each of us can best focus our work to change the world in our areas of passion.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Rav Sarah Mulhern is a Rabbi, educator, and community builder. She serves as the Rabbi of Silverstein Base Lincoln Park, opening her home and her heart to young adults in Chicago. She passionately believes that Torah matters and that Judaism can enrich human life and better society. Rav Sarah is also a nationally-regarded Torah educator, frequently teaching in a wide variety of Jewish adult education settings, particularly on topics of ethics, gender, and Jewish practice. As a rabbi, some of her areas of focus include grief support, feminist and queer niddah education, and crafting joyful halachic egalitarian life cycle rituals. She is deeply committed to inspiring traditional prayer, and is a passionate shaliach tzibur. Rav Sarah was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College, where she also earned a Masters in Jewish Education, and received private rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes. She is an alumna of Brandeis University, Yeshivat Hadar, Pardes Institute, Drisha Institute, Beit Midrash Har El, the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, and the David Hartman Center Fellowship. She can be reached at sarahemulhern@gmail.com or @Rav_Sarah.
The Shabbat Effect: Jewish Wisdom for Growth and Transformation (Phoenix)
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Alan Morinis
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Beth El Phoenix
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
The topic of this session will be the forthcoming book, The Shabbat Effect. The point of the book is to outline how observing Shabbat with an intention to develop certain inner traits that are germane to a Shabbat practice will prove useful all 7 days of the week, and is a step toward the ultimate human purpose of becoming whole and holy.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Alan Morinis received his doctorate from Oxford University which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one the leading lights in the revival of the Jewish spiritual tradition of Mussar and is the author of Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002), Everyday Holiness (2007), With Heart in Mind (2014) and now The Shabbat Effect (2026).
He is a student of Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, and in 2004 founded The Mussar Institute which has grown to become the world’s leading provider of contemporary Mussar resources and instruction, offering courses, facilitator training, curricula for congregations and organizations, special events, speakers, and retreats.
Alan is a sought-after speaker and spiritual teacher who will be on tour with The Shabbat Effect in early 2026.
The Masks We Wear
A virtual event presentation by Melanie Gruenwald
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: BMH-BJ
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
In this session, we will take a psycho-spiritual, kabbalistic exploration of our multiple masks and identities, and explore the themes connected to the upcoming holiday of Purim.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Melanie Gruenwald, Executive Director of Kabbalah Experience, brings over 25 years of non-profit leadership and community-organizing to her position. Engaged with senior citizens, families, college students, and teens, Melanie has extensive professional experience with communal leadership and informal Jewish education. Melanie is energized by building relationships, understanding people’s needs and finding ways to connect them to one another. She loves the balance of organizational leadership and teaching which she engages on a daily basis at Kabbalah Experience. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Binghamton University (S.U.N.Y), and Masters in Social Work and Certificate in Jewish Communal Service from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Melanie has pursued additional Judaic and spiritual studies at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, the Conservative Yeshiva, and most recently, Kabbalah Experience. Melanie is married to Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald, Senior Rabbi at the Hebrew Educational Alliance in Denver, and is mom to three children, Koby (z”l), Hannah, and Micah.
The Shabbat Effect: Jewish Wisdom for Growth and Transformation (Park City)
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Alan Morinis
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Temple Har Shalom
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
The topic of this session will be the forthcoming book, The Shabbat Effect. The point of the book is to outline how observing Shabbat with an intention to develop certain inner traits that are germane to a Shabbat practice will prove useful all 7 days of the week, and is a step toward the ultimate human purpose of becoming whole and holy.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Alan Morinis received his doctorate from Oxford University which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one the leading lights in the revival of the Jewish spiritual tradition of Mussar and is the author of Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002), Everyday Holiness (2007), With Heart in Mind (2014) and now The Shabbat Effect (2026).
He is a student of Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, and in 2004 founded The Mussar Institute which has grown to become the world’s leading provider of contemporary Mussar resources and instruction, offering courses, facilitator training, curricula for congregations and organizations, special events, speakers, and retreats.
Alan is a sought-after speaker and spiritual teacher who will be on tour with The Shabbat Effect in early 2026.
The Shabbat Effect: Jewish Wisdom for Growth and Transformation (Salt Lake City)
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Alan Morinis
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Congregation Kol Ami, United Jewish Federation of Utah
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
The topic of this session will be the forthcoming book, The Shabbat Effect. The point of the book is to outline how observing Shabbat with an intention to develop certain inner traits that are germane to a Shabbat practice will prove useful all 7 days of the week, and is a step toward the ultimate human purpose of becoming whole and holy.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Alan Morinis received his doctorate from Oxford University which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one the leading lights in the revival of the Jewish spiritual tradition of Mussar and is the author of Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002), Everyday Holiness (2007), With Heart in Mind (2014) and now The Shabbat Effect (2026).
He is a student of Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, and in 2004 founded The Mussar Institute which has grown to become the world’s leading provider of contemporary Mussar resources and instruction, offering courses, facilitator training, curricula for congregations and organizations, special events, speakers, and retreats.
Alan is a sought-after speaker and spiritual teacher who will be on tour with The Shabbat Effect in early 2026.
The Shabbat Effect: Jewish Wisdom for Growth and Transformation (Denver)
A hybrid event presentation (in-person and virtual) by Alan Morinis
EVENT CO-SPONSORED BY: Temple Emanuel
Please note the event times are listed in MST.
ABOUT THE EVENT:
The topic of this session will be the forthcoming book, The Shabbat Effect. The point of the book is to outline how observing Shabbat with an intention to develop certain inner traits that are germane to a Shabbat practice will prove useful all 7 days of the week, and is a step toward the ultimate human purpose of becoming whole and holy.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Alan Morinis received his doctorate from Oxford University which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one the leading lights in the revival of the Jewish spiritual tradition of Mussar and is the author of Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002), Everyday Holiness (2007), With Heart in Mind (2014) and now The Shabbat Effect (2026).
He is a student of Rabbi Yechiel Yitzchok Perr, zt”l, and in 2004 founded The Mussar Institute which has grown to become the world’s leading provider of contemporary Mussar resources and instruction, offering courses, facilitator training, curricula for congregations and organizations, special events, speakers, and retreats.
Alan is a sought-after speaker and spiritual teacher who will be on tour with The Shabbat Effect in early 2026.