MUSSAR A Program for Seekers of Spiritual Connection

Are you looking for spiritual connection in a Jewish context? The Jewish practice of Mussar offers a spiritual approach to daily life. Mussar is a down-to-earth discipline that utilizes everyday experiences as the best path for growth. How we interact with our children, spouses, parents, and workmates; how we deal with deadlines; how we eat; and how we take part in our communities are all part of the Mussar discipline. We learn, through text study and introspection, how to balance our soul-traits so that our inner light shines out into the world.

Passover Spiritual Preparation Mini-Mussar Course
Spring 2010: Sunday Evenings from 7–9 PM
3 Sessions: March 7, April 11, May 16
at the Temple

Description: Mussar is a Jewish spiritual practice that focuses on the cultivation and balancing of traits such as Patience, Humility, and Generosity, to help the individual grow on her or his spiritual journey. A key concept of Passover, which begins at the end of March, 2010, is Seder — the "order" of the ritual that begins our Passover observance. The trait of Seder/Order, however, can have a personal meaning that moves us beyond ideas of orderliness. Use your mind and your heart to examine your deep goals and individual aspirations, through the practice of the traits of Order and Simplicity. The month of Nisan, considered a "new year" in the Jewish calendar, is a wonderful time to begin this practice. This 3-session mini-course is designed for beginners and for those who would like to build on their previous Mussar practice.

Registration for Passover Mini-Mussar Course

Cost: $50.

Class size limited to 12.

Send the following information to the Temple Office:
Name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.

Please mail your check (payable to “Temple Shir Tikvah”) along with the above information to:
Temple Shir Tikvah, 34 Vine Street, Winchester, MA 01890.

We recommend that you purchase the book, Everyday Holiness, by Alan Morinis.

Facilitator's Bio

Lisa Goodman is an experienced Jewish educator and licensed social worker. She facilitated the course, “A Season of Mussar,” in spring 2009 at Temple Shir Tikvah, and is presently leading the Shir Tikvah Mussar Group entitled “ The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar.” Lisa is a 2009 graduate of the Manchim program of The Mussar Institute, which trains Mussar group facilitators. She has studied Mussar with Alan Morinis, author of Climbing Jacob's Ladder and Everyday Holiness, and continues to learn with Rabbi David Jaffe, who teaches Mussar in the Boston area.

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Join Our Mussar Study Group
Sunday Evenings, 7–9 PM

Fall 2009 Dates:
October 25, November 8 & 22, December 6 & 20

Winter 2010 Dates:
January 10 & 24, February 7

Location:
Temple Shir Tikvah Library

For more information about this group, please contact the Temple Office (781/729-1263)
More information about Mussar:

Mussar Program

We will meet every 2 weeks for 8 sessions. In the Fall 2009–Winter 2010 course we'll explore 8 traits, including Silence. Each week, every participant receives an e-mail of teachings and practices focused on a single middah (soul-trait). This mailing, written by Dr. Alan Morinis (founder of The Mussar Institute and author of Everyday Holiness and Climbing Jacob’s Ladder), is an original composition that pulls together and interprets traditional Mussar teachings on the trait in focus, in accessible language (no Hebrew is required). We'll also use The Book of Words, by Rabbi Larry Kushner, which provides a window into key spiritual concepts in the Jewish tradition.

Each member of the course will be encouraged to have a study partner to share further discussion outside of class.

Registration for Mussar Study Group

Cost: $110 per participant plus cost of books.

Pre-registration is required by October 1, 2009.

Refunds: only for cancelled classes.

Class size limited to 12.
Scholarships are available; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Send the following information to the Temple Office:
Name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.
Please indicate the amount of scholarship needed.

Please mail your check (payable to “Temple Shir Tikvah”) along with the above information to:
Temple Shir Tikvah, 34 Vine Street, Winchester, MA 01890.

A registration form may also be found in our Adult Learning Brochure.

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