果冻传媒

The Ethical Life:Jewish Values in an Age of Choice

A Turnkey Curriculum in Jewish Ethics from 果冻传媒

From political and financial scandals to rapid progress in biomedical science and technology, the complex issues of modern society are, at their core, issues of ethical and moral concern. Now more than ever, we require a solid understanding of how Jewish ethics can inform our discussions and decisions about the critical questions of the day. Judaism has a long history of wrestling with moral questions, responding to them in a way that considers all sides of an issue.

This complete, turnkey course for adult learners gives rabbis and educators the resources to facilitate nuanced communal conversations grappling with today most pressing ethical dilemmas. It includes videos featuring 果冻传媒 faculty, other expert scholars, and practitioners in the field; classical and contemporary texts; an extensive leader guide; and additional resources online.

How to Order

The price for this complete course is $500. This includes all video lectures on USB, and password-protected access to all course materials online.

Discounts are available.If your organization is not able to afford this price, please emailethical.life@jtsa.edu.

We are also pleased to have launched The Ethical Life: A 果冻传媒 Curriculum for Teens in Fall 2023. The two curricula can be purchased together at a 25 percent discount.

What the Curriculum Includes

• Video Lectures: 果冻传媒 faculty members and other expert scholars lecture for approximately 10�15 minutes, offering a reasoned position on an ethical dilemma.
• Sourcebook: The sourcebook includes primary texts for each lecture攊n the original language and with English translation攁nd recommended background readings.
• Leader Guide: An extensive collection of resources for course leaders, including guidelines for conducting conversations about ethics; recommendations for how to structure each session; an outline of each video lecture; hevruta questions and explanatory notes for primary sources; illustrative case studies; suggested discussion questions; and recommended background resources.
• 淰oices from the Field”: Videos 3�5 minutes long featuring individuals from the American Jewish community who, in their professions, grapple with ethical challenges on a daily basis.

All course materials are housed on a password-protected online platform. Video lectures are also provided on a USB drive. Textual sources are provided as PDFs, to be printed locally by each participating community or accessed on electronic devices for a paperless experience. The Leader Guide is provided both in print and online as a PDF.

Course Contents

I. Foundational Sessions

1. Introduction:
• The Centrality of Ethics to Jewish Life: Chancellor Arnold Eisen
• Does Ethics Need God?: Dr. Alan Mittleman
2. The Sources of Jewish Ethics:
• Ethics and Halakhah (Law): Rabbi Gordon Tucker, PhD and Rabbi Elliot Dorff, PhD
• Ethics and Aggadah (Narrative): Dr. Eitan Fishbane
• Ethics and the Lived Experience擜 Feminist Approach: Dr. Michal Raucher 

II. Ethics of Global Citizenship and the Public Good

3. The Ethical Dimensions of Food Production: Dr. David Kraemer
4. Fracking: A Case Study in the Ethics of Neighborly Relations: Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, PhD
5. Is Teshuvah Possible? Rethinking Mass Incarceration: Rabbi Jill Jacobs
6. Modern-Day Slavery and Our Ethical Responsibility: Rabbi Gordon Tucker, PhD
7. The Ethics of Torture and Just War: Rabbi Melissa Weintraub 

III. Personal and Interpersonal Ethics

8. Advance Directives and the Ethics of End-of-Life Care: Rabbi Mychal Springer
9. Disabilities and the Ethics of Inclusion:Rabbi Daniel Nevins
10. Surrogacy and the Ethics of Relationships: Dr. Michal Raucher
11. Better than Normal? The Ethics of Enhancement: Rabbi Leonard Sharzer, MD
12. Is Lying Ever Ethical?: Rabbi David Hoffman, PhD 

A Modular Framework

The videos and accompanying materials are designed to be used by clergy or educators as part of an ongoing study program, rather than as stand-alone sessions. However, each unit stands on its own, so course leaders may select which sessions they wish to include and in what order they wish to teach them. 

What People Are Saying

湽�冻传媒 offers rabbis in the field a tremendous resource in The Ethical Life. The materials themselves are beautifully put together and reflect the high level and seriousness behind the curriculum. The complementary videos are professional and integrate seamlessly. My adult students are really enjoying the text study and video lectures, and I檓 grateful to 果冻传媒 for embarking on the project.�
擱abbi Joel Levenson, Midway Jewish Center, Syosset, NY

淭he Ethical Life course gave the students the ability to make connections between Jewish wisdom and the 21st century.�
擱abbi Kobi Chumash, Temple Shalom, Colorado Springs, CO

淚 taught The Ethical Life to an active and animated group of about 25 adult students. They were engaged with the texts and the videos, enjoyed the opportunity to study with 果冻传媒 scholars and benefitted from the sustained discussion about each topic. When we concluded the course, they asked for more time and topics.�
擱abbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, ON

淭he fundamental wisdom of the ancient masters combined with the wisdom of contemporary Jewish scholars demonstrates that the Conservative Movement continues to evolve and broaden its scope to address the ethical issues of the 21st century. Some issues were timeless and some were timely.�
擟ourse Participant, Fair Lawn Jewish Center/ Congregation B’nai Israel, Fairlawn, NJ

Contact Us

To learn more about this course, please contact ethical.life@jtsa.edu.

Sites offering The Ethical Life include:

North America

International