Social Media: Vice or Virtue?

In a striking parallel, this week’s Torah portion mentions hamas — not once, but twice. The world, it says, was filled with hamas: crime, robbery, violence.And here we are today, thousands of years later, we are painfully reminded that Hamas has not disappeared — it floods Gaza, it haunts our world, and it lingers, unresolved, two years after October 7th.What can we learn from the events of four millennia ago, when human corruption brought the great flood? What lessons does that ancient tragedy hold for our lives today? How do we respond, not just in relief or outrage, but in building something permanent, sustainable, and just? How do we protect ourselves from the raging floodwaters?Yes, we celebrate the release of the remaining hostages — a moment of relief, a glimmer of hope. Yet the deeper challenge remains: how do we confront this Hamas that doesn't seem to go away? How do we move beyond temporary solutions, beyond quick fixes and reactive measures, to create structures of justice, peace, and moral integrity that can endure in a lasting and transformative way?This is not a question for politicians alone, nor for armies, but for each of us. Every one of us may experience a "flood" that deluges us. This may take the shape of internal anxiety or fear, or hostile and corrupt forces around us -- concerns that can overwhelm us. Every act of courage, every effort to build character, every small step toward compassion and righteousness, becomes part of the ark we build that can weather the flood.The flood can be relentless, but so too can be our resolve. It begins with us — building strength, building hope, building an ark that no flood can wash away.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this timely and urgent conversation because as life has taught us, we all will face challenges that can flood our lives. The question is: will you be ready? How do we build an "ark" to insulate us from these floods?

23 Loka 27min

Finding true comfort and healing in the face of life’s challenges is never easy. Each of us carries pain — personal struggles, family difficulties, disappointments, even trauma. And we all seek relief, not quick fixes or temporary band-aids, but lasting, sustainable solutions.For that, we turn to a 3,000-year-old blueprint: what we call The Divine Art of Healing — Seven Steps to Comfort.In Part One, we discovered the first step — the “C” of COMFORT: Connect. How genuine connection becomes a powerful catalyst for healing and consolation.Now, in Part Two, we continue the journey with the next steps: the O and the M — Open your heart and Make space.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we explore how these steps, embedded within the very word comfort, offer us a timeless path to healing, growth, and inner peace.

28 Elo 37min

In times of pain, we often struggle with what to say or do. And we all face such moments — loss, trauma, death, tragedy, setbacks.We’d like to avoid suffering, but it is part of life. In our search for comfort, we may turn to denial, therapy, medication — even unhealthy escapes that numb rather than heal.There is, however, a timeless path — a proven method of healing that goes back over 3,000 years. Let's call it The Divine Art of Healing: Seven Steps to Comfort. More than words, more than actions — it is a blueprint for genuine consolation and resolution, hidden within the very word comfort itself:C — Connect.O — Open your heart.M — Make space.F — Feel.O — Offer light.R — Reassure.T — Transform.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson over the next several weeks as we explore each of these steps — tools to bring solace not only to yourself, but to others. Because in this world, there is no one who does not need comfort — and no one who cannot give it.This week we explore the first of these seven steps: Connect. How healthy connection and attachment is a powerful agent of healing.

14 Elo 37min

Hope. What would life be without it?Without that inner confidence — that no matter what happens, things can get better. That even when something breaks, it can be mended. Rebuilt. Renewed.But where does hope come from? Why are we so drawn to it? Is it just wishful thinking — something we cling to because the alternative is too bleak? Or is there something deeper at work?Hope is not fantasy. It’s not naïve. It’s the voice of the soul — reminding us that we’re never stuck, never alone, never beyond repair.But how do we access and cultivate that voice, especially in times of darkness?These are not just abstract questions. They touch the very core of our lives. Because when you have hope, you have strength. You have direction. You have the power to rise again.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we explore the mystery and the promise of hope. Because your song must never stop singing.

8 Elo 37min

We’ve all cried in life.Loss, disappointment, heartbreak — tears born of deep pain and inner anguish.But the real question is: What do you do with your tears?Sadness can crush us. It can demoralize, paralyze, even break our spirit. But it can also awaken us. It can stir growth. It can become a catalyst for transformation.In truth, your life is defined not only by the joyous moments, but by how you respond to the difficult ones — how you carry yourself in the darkness, how you channel your tears.Tears are inevitable. But they are not meaningless. They can be seeds — planted in the soil of the soul, destined to bloom into something greater.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this essential discussion as we explore the soul’s journey from pain to purpose.

31 Heinä 37min

Why are some religious people so obnoxious? I hear this question often. It’s no wonder religion gets at times a bad rap. And it does seem strange, doesn’t it? If faith is meant to elevate us, shouldn’t it make us more refined, sensitive, kind, and gentle?Yet time and again, we see people—sometimes in the very name of religion—acting in ways that are anything but inspiring. Of course, no one is perfect. But this is a serious issue we can’t ignore.Religion has shaped civilization for millennia and still plays a central role in countless lives. Yet religion and faith, like all beautiful and powerful experiences, can be abused and distorted by flawed human beings, which in turn has caused so many to have a deep distrust of religion—and of religious people. Some even carry profound wounds—what we now call religious trauma. What we need to learn is how not to throw out the baby with the bathwater.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for an honest, vital conversation to understand why religion, which should bring light, so often casts a shadow. And more importantly—how we can move past the pain, discard our toxic experiences and reclaim our spiritual integrity and rebuild a healthy faith that heals instead of harms.

17 Heinä 32min

Can you live forever?This is a question human beings have asked since the dawn of time. From the ancient pharaohs, who buried their wives, families, and treasures with them in the hope of securing eternity, to today’s cryogenic freezing of DNA and other strange attempts to discover the fountain of youth—people have tried everything imaginable to outsmart mortality.Look around us: the booming pharmaceutical industry, Botox, plastic surgery—all driven by the desire to slow down, mask, or even reverse the aging process. We spend fortunes trying to look young, to feel young, to hold back the inevitable. But despite all this, has anyone truly figured out how to conquer death, the ultimate end of mortal life?And yet, beneath all these efforts lies a deeper longing. Every one of us yearns to make an impact, to leave a lasting, eternal mark on this universe. We don’t just want to exist—we want to matter forever.Is that really possible? Is there a path to a life that transcends time?Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this essential and timely conversation that touches each of us at our core. Together, we’ll uncover the spiritual principles that reveal the path to true immortality.

14 Heinä 37min

If you looked at a region plagued by war for thousands of years, what would you conclude? That peace is impossible? That conflict is inevitable?That’s the case with the Middle East—a land soaked in blood and tears, going back to biblical times. From the battles around the Promised Land, to the destruction of the First and Second Temples, to the Crusades, to centuries of conflict between Muslims, Christians, and Jews—it seems like a region doomed to eternal strife.And yet—that’s not the full story.Yes, the Middle East has been the cradle of war. But it’s also the birthplace of the three great monotheistic faiths. And that is the key.This is not just a geopolitical or territorial conflict. It is a spiritual one. And the true resolution will not come through politics or power—but through the fulfillment of a deeper, divine vision: a world of harmony, not just peace. Unity without erasing our differences. A time when "nation will not lift sword against nation," and Jerusalem will become a beacon of light for all humanity.That is the end of the story.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital conversation because the peace of the Middle East is not just their story—it’s all of ours.

3 Heinä 27min