Meaningful Life Skills with Rabbi Simon Jacobson

When asked "who are you?" most people show you their business card. But that's what you do, not who you are. Yet, with time many of us, sadly, lose sight of who we are and become what we do. when it should be the other way around; Who you are should define and direct what you do. With all the factors that have influenced you -- parents, education, job -- it can be very difficult to figure out who you really are. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and learn provocative methods and effective tools to get beyond the forces that have shaped you and discover who you truly are. Wouldn't that be an achievement -- to live your life from the inside out, in which your inner identity guides your choices and actions, instead of living outside in, in which your circumstances control your life and identity.

28 Maalis 201944min

What is intuition? Is it cognitive or emotional? Based on intelligence or instinct? Where do your gut feelings and instincts come from? Can you trust them? Can you hone and improve your intuition, or are some of us just wired with more intuition than others? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this eye-opening Purim workshop as he probes the inner workings of human intuition and the deeper recesses of the psyche. By peering "under the dashboard" of the human mind, you discover where your conscious meets your supra-conscious, and your mind meets your heart. Learn how to sharpen your intuition, and allow it to inform your conscious reasoning, which in turn will enhance your sensitivity and elevate your decision making process.

25 Maalis 201941min

What is the role of government? Ostensibly, this question may seem irrelevant to our personal lives. On further thought, however, it's quite clear that the welfare of a government directly impacts the welfare of every one of its citizens. Yet, with so much distrust in our governments today, with the polarization of our political parties, and accusations of corruption being hurled in all directions, no wonder many of us have become quite skeptical if not cynical about the function of government. Nevertheless, it would be wise, especially when government is in question, to revisit the premise on the role and responsibility of government. Is it merely to legislate laws and serve as a referee to maintain the peace and coexistence of its peoples? Or does government have a deeper and more spiritual responsibility? Just as government impacts people, people impact government. A government and its citizens are interconnected and interdependent -- they need and reflect on one another. It is therefore imperative to understand how to build the best possible government -- one that will serve the highest aspirations of its constituents, and help them build the best possible future. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this thought provoking talk as he retraces the historical roots of government and dissects its very purpose and function. Discover fascinating insights into human nature and its drive to build societies and bodies to govern their lives. Learn how we are not victims and products of our governments; quite the contrary: we have the ability to shape government. Come away with a new confidence and appreciation of the power we have to create a better world. And that yes, even something as technical or mundane as government, has a transcendent role to play.

14 Maalis 201945min

Many of us justify, for various reasons, the need to not be completely honest with others about our feelings. We may be judged or misunderstood. We are dependent on them and can't therefore always candidly express our true sentiments. To survive in this self-interest driven world, the argument goes, we need to wear a variety of masks and veils to please, placate and interact with others. When swimming with sharks we need to become a shark. But what about being honest with yourself? Have you become so accustomed to wearing masks, that they now define you? Do you even know what you look like at your core? Have you betrayed yourself in the process? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this piercing talk on how to be honest with yourself. Learn tools how to uncover the shrouds that cloak the true you. Build up the courage to get to know your inner self in ways you never could have imagined. With all the things we are learning all the time, it's about time to look in the mirror and find out who you really are. You may be surprised at what you discover..

8 Maalis 201943min

What criteria defines your personal value -- money, respect or beauty? How much of your worthiness is determined by factors outside of you and how much by forces within you? Where does self-esteem come from? What role does validation by others play in your life? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he breaks down the different ways we measure our worth, offering a formula for developing and cultivating a far deeper and lasting sense of value - one not subject to the shifting attitudes and moods of others or to the dependence on impermanent things.

28 Helmi 201936min

It's one thing to get inspired at an auspicious moment (a birthday, a milestone); it's quite another to maintain that motivation once we reenter the grind of our daily routines. How can we lift up and improve our day to day lives? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this potentially life-changing discussion how to transform your "ordinary" day into an extraordinary one and turn your usual life into an unusual one. Discover ways to eliminate monotony and inertia of your quotidian existence and live a life brimming with vitality, enthusiasm and passion.

20 Helmi 201939min

How many faces do you have? Perhaps a better word for it is "masks" -- how many masks do you wear? The face/mask you show your co-workers, the face/mask you show your friends, the face/mask you show your family, the face/mask you show strangers, the face/mask you show to people you trust, and the one you show to people you fear -- and in each one of these groups you have likely a different face/mask you show to each respective individual. Bottom line: We have of variety of many different faces/masks we wear, for different people and different occasions. But what are you like without any mask? If you were to "kick off your shoes" and remove all your filters and buffers, all your defense mechanisms and armor, what would you look like? Is there anyone you feel comfortable to be so vulnerable with? With all the preforming we need to do in our lives, to satisfy and meet people's expectations and demands, do we even know who we truly are beneath the surface? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he tackles this vital yet shrouded mystery -- how to bridge the inner and outer you. Learn ways to unmask your veils and discover the true you -- who you are when no one is looking -- and how to build the courage to actualize the inner you in your life and relationships. It's about time to get to know and express your self!

14 Helmi 201950min

Can you be happy without money? Does money guarantee happiness? Can you have money and be miserable? The power money wields over us is undeniable. It deeply impacts and exerts its influence on virtually every aspect of our lives. What does this power teach us about ourselves? We all need money to live, but is our dependency on money simply about necessity, or is it deeper than that -- emotionally and psychologically? Your relationship with money can illuminate so much about who you are and where you stand in life. Is your net self worth defined by your net worth? We all want to be valued. How much of your worthiness is determined by the value of your inner self and how much is determined by externals? What does money tell you about your self-confidence? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this insightful talk on our often bizarre connection with money and how it profoundly reflects our personalities and priorities. Despite the fact that no one has ever figured out how to take their money with them to the next world, people are obsessed with hanging on to their very last cent, and will compromise much greater -- and even eternal - values for... money! We will sell out and sacrifice our own good and the good of our loves ones for a few dollars. Is that not an addiction? Can we learn how to free ourselves of this attachment and be happy people independent of our monetary worth?

11 Helmi 201952min