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Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa

Imagine if you could travel through Jewish history. Not a journey through dates and wars, but a conversation with the regular people who lived through those times? What if you could have a chance to talk to them about the difficult choices they were being forced to struggle with?

What many don’t realize is that Jewish law isn’t just “rules.” It’s a living conversation that has followed the Jewish people through every place, every century, and every crisis.

Halachah doesn’t ignore real life. It meets it. In all situations. That’s why I’m excited to invite you to join our new CJL course:

Through discussing 30 real life cases that our Rabbis have struggled to answer throughout history, you will discover what Jewish law really is. Not cold theory, but a guiding philosophy for real people through real moments.

Under pressure, through heartbreak, and brand-new technologies, you’ll get a unique window into the real-life struggles and dilemmas our ancestors debated across the globe and throughout the full gamut of our history. 

Come for the stories. Stay for the clarity. Leave with a deeper appreciation how Jewish law works.

JOIN NOW

WHEN

 

6 Mondays

January 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16, 23 7:00-8:30pm

Instructor: Rabbi Laizer Labkovski
 

No charge, all are welcome!
Hot dinner served

Center for Jewish Life
757 Hopkins Rd
Williamsville, NY 14221

 

Lesson 1
The people who asked the questions

What do these questions reveal about our ancestors? What did they think, feel, and value? Explore five fascinating stories to find out.
Cases / Barcelona, 1300; Algiers, 1450; Modena, 1530; Spain, 1450; Auschwitz, 1944

 

Lesson 2
The quest for facts

Do sages make assumptions about how reality works, or do they investigate the facts? Follow rabbis as they conduct five fascinating investigations worldwide.
Cases / Cairo, 1548; Altona, 1709; Hamburg, 1772; Jerusalem, 1866; Brooklyn, 1958

 

Lesson 3
How the Torah stays relevant

See inside the process that enables the Torah’s ancient code to guide life in an ever-changing world. Witness the precise process of applying Talmudic precedent.
Cases / Barcelona, 1300; Valencia, 1380; Pavia, 1478; Berezhany, 1908

 

Lesson 4
When the exception is the law

Explore four unexpected rulings to uncover the hidden fallback mechanisms within Jewish law: these aren’t exceptions to the law. They’re the law revealing its quiet values (like human dignity, and peace in the home).
Cases / Pavia, 1450; Salonika, 1550; Krakow, 1570; Liozna, 1790

 

Lesson 5
Answering the whole person

Rules don’t always translate into reality easily. See how sages account for the practical, social, and emotional realities around a question to ensure their ruling leads to its intended outcome.
Cases / Cairo, 1173; Barcelona, 1300; Lodmir, 1615; Lubavitch, 1871; Brooklyn, 1954; Manchester, 1963

 

Lesson 6
Responsa from the future

Could Artificial Intelligence decide Jewish law? Is lab-grown meat kosher? See how Jewish law is addressing the questions posed by tomorrow’s cutting-edge technology.
Cases / Jerusalem, 2003; Maaleh Adumim, 2009; New York, 2015; Beit Shemesh, 2022; worldwide, 2026

 

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