What a Civilized Society Looks Like

There are rare moments in our lives when we are provided with an unprecedented opportunity, a wake up call. Those moments where a paradigm shift occurs that can affect us on an individual level, on a collective level or on a global level. Certain events shake us to our core and open us up to these quantum leaps.And at that moment your actions, your choices, your decisions can change everything. We are now living in such a time.The events that happened on October 7, the atrocities perpetrated, the sheer brutality and all the subsequent events - the war that continues to wage, the rise in antisemitism, the mass protests - are indeed a watershed moment. And these are times where we are looked at - and will be looked out by future generations to come - to see, how did we behave? How did we react? Did we step up? Did we stand up? Did we speak up? Or did we retreat in silence or in fear and chose to do nothing? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a historic and vital conversation that every individual must hear - and then must ask themselves these important questions. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? Are you making history or letting history make you? This is an opportunity that can radically change the entire future. Be the change.

23 Nov 202327min

With the recent alarming rise of antisemitism in wake of the atrocities perpetrated on October 7th by Hamas, it's well worthwhile to dig deeper into the nature of Jew hatred, what exactly antisemitism is. What are the roots of this abhorrence and where does it stem from? Why is it that throughout history Jews were consistently singled out more than any other minority? With acts of hatred, discrimination, expulsions and genocide. From a scientific point of view we cannot associate antisemitism with one particular cause because it goes back millennia, and was directed at Jews from every possible nationality and culture. For example, to say it's a result of Christian discrimination, while definitely a contributing factor, doesn’t give the full picture because there was Jew hatred before Christianity existed. And before Islam became a religion.So we have to find a common denominator that would transcend the different millennia, the different centuries, different empires and different situations of discrimination against Jews. What lies at its core?Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this critical conversation dissecting the anatomy of antisemitism and explore what we can do about it. Discover the cosmic, spiritual and psychological roots of the longest hatred in history. Learn how the irrational despise of Jews is linked with the natural materialistic hostility to the transcendent and the divine. Knowing the cause can then help us finally uproot this cancer once and for all.

16 Nov 202337min

I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live! Deuteronomy 30:19Does it make any sense that a healthy person would choose death over life? Would any sane person choose destruction over survival?And yet we see - amplified in the latest atrocities going on in Israel - that there exists a perverse culture of death, of martyrdom. Where death is celebrated. Where death is the ultimate sacrifice and goal. This frightening reality compels us to look deeper into the very meaning of life and identity -- who we are as human beings. What defines us? Life or death? Blessing or curse?In the Bible G-d commands us: "Choose life." But why do we need to be told to choose life? It seems natural  that every human being graviates to do everything possible to preserve life, your own life and the life of others. Yet in times like this, where we find ourselves fighting a war where death is glorified, this verse from the Bible suddenly resounds with tremendous import and profound relevance. This darkness -- completely antithetical to life -- behooves us to examine the significance and true value of the human soul. As we wage spiritual war, alongside the physical one, please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this fundamental discussion and discover the importance of choosing life. Choose life. Always choose life.

9 Nov 202323min

While Israel is at war with its enemies, following the atrocities that took place on October 7th, there is another war raging all over the world. This is the war over truth, a propaganda war filled with misinformation, disinformation, lies and myth. This war is being fought in the media, on campuses, with protests and videos aimed to manipulate and pull at our heart strings - all vying for control over our minds. And this information war is only amplified by modern technology, incessantly streaming and inundating us with reports and opinions of all colors and stripes. This instantaneous access on live social media and all existing platforms has created unprecedented confusion on a critical mass level. How in the world can one sift through all this conflicting data and contradictory narratives, and figure out what is true, and what isn't true? Who should we believe? Not only on a breaking news level but also on perspective, on context. Who is the oppressor and who is oppressed? Who is the victim and who is the perpetrator? This is a war going on in your family, in your home and in your mind. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this critical battle over the truth, and discover how to discern fact from fiction, reality from myth. When we hear so many different and opposing accounts, the only way for intelligent people to find clarity and tackle thorny questions is by digging deeper into the issues and researching the history of the region and its people, based on hard verifiable facts and sources. Instead of buying into subjective -- and distorted or outright false -- storylines presented by people with agendas, biases and prejudices, it behooves us to directly and transparently review the evidence and come to conclusions based on authentic and critical evaluation.

2 Nov 202345min

With the latest brutal atrocities perpetrated in Israel - the horrific sights and descriptions of things that most of us couldn't imagine in our darkest dreams - the words "absolute evil," "pure, unadulterated evil", have become the way many are describing these massacres. Not simply killing which is total evil in itself, but the sheer savage ways and extreme forms of cruelty and sadism with which these heinous crimes were committed, defies any word in our human language. Absolute evil doesn't even seem strong enough. And yet, there are many that try to "justify" these actions, and even worse and more appalling -- they argue that the victims are somehow at fault! In some twisted form of 'logic" there are the claims that Israel is evil and somehow Hamas good. But even if you don't go that far, some argue the case of moral equivalence, where both sides are equally guilty. Others altogether embrace moral relativism, rejecting any form of absolute right and wrong.Which brings us to the big question; is there absolute good and evil in this world? Is it black or white? Are there suituations where the lines between good and evil are very clear, or are there two sides to every story and everything is relative. Some even say that there is no such thing as good and evil; it's all subjective.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital and fundamental conversation on good vs. evil. and discover the implications involved and what we can actually do about it.

26 Okt 202333min

We - and every decent person in this world - are shocked by the heartwrenching events and the tragic war taking place in Israel. How can a decent human being not be horrified by the brutal atrocities perpetrated against innocent civilians; men, women, children, elderly murdered in cold blood, abused, degraded, tortured and taken hostage in the most inhumane way. We are united and devastated in pain and confusion.How could this happen? Why did God allow it? How should we react to this? What should be our approach and what can we do about it?As we continue to reel from the news, we have many, many questions. But most importantly, what is our role in a historic time like this? This is clearly a watershed moment, a game changer for the Middle East and for the entire world. The annals of history will look back at this time and ask: what did you do?What did we do?To shine some light, provide perspective and clarity and offer direction and hope in these times, please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this timely and critical discussion.

12 Okt 202334min

Are you a happy person? Do you feel happy right now? As human beings, we all have times that we're happy and times that happiness eludes us. But overall, what is your natural inclination?Are some people just born happier than others? Is happiness inherent or acquired? And more importantly, are there things we can do - tools we can learn, methods we can implement - to bring more happiness and joy into our lives, to become more upbeat and optimistic? Or are we simply hard wired a certain way, with some people being more despondent while others more spirited?You will be surprised to learn that happiness is something that you can control.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and discover that happiness is both inherent and acquired: you are naturally born happy. Happiness is your state of being. However, that core nature can be obfuscated by life experiences. Learn how to acquire tools that allow you to access your natural happiness, to experience happiness as a noun, not just as a verb. Remember, you do not control your circumstances, but you can control your state of mind, which in turn allows you to navigate the ups and downs of life. You have the power to become a happier person because your attitude will ultimately reveal your identity and shape your reality.

28 Sep 202327min

Do you feel stuck in your life? Stuck in a situation, stuck in a relationship, stuck in your job? Are there things that you simply cannot free yourself from, no matter how much you try and no matter how good your intentions are? After all your attempts, you just keep being tugged back into the same old rut?What do you do in a situation like that? Is there any way out? How do you get yourself out of the pit when there is seemingly no rope to hold onto, no light to show you the way out? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer because in many cases we may be our own worst enemy, and a prisoner cannot free himself. Somebody else cannot pull you out of your trappings - especially if you're resisting and don't want the help. A problem cannot be solved within the same system that created the problem. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this life changing discussion and discover how to access powers that are beyond the system where the problem was created. Learn time tested methods to not only help yourself get unstuck, but to help propel you to even greater heights than you could've imagined.

21 Sep 202328min