The Middle East: A 4-Step Peace Plan

Fear is one of the most debilitating -- and invisible -- forces that we need to contend with in life. How does one find courage to face fear? It seems like a catch-22 situation: Fear is the antithesis of courage. If you have fear, how can you muster up courage to fight fear; and if you have courage, then you have no need to fear the fear. Is there a way our of this quagmire? All this gets more complicated when you take into consideration your being comfortable with your routines and habitual traps. Your comfort zone coupled with your fears create a formidable resistance to facing challenges and being proactive in finding solutions. Is there hope? Please join Rabbi Jacobson, in this pre-Tisha B'Av talk, and learn how to enter into the dark abyss where our fears reside, and into the crevices where our comfort zones hold us hostage, and come away with greater strength than ever. Fear and habits contain enormous energy -- but that energy is imploded and inverted, entangling us in their c

19 Juli 201857min

Why is it that we an't seem to free ourselves of our pasts even when we determine to proceed on with our lives? What is it about the past that keeps us down and even trapped? Why can't we just shake off previous experiences and move forward? In this powerful class Rabbi Jacobson uncovers the mysterious power of inertia created by our pasts, and teaches us how to loosen its hold. Learn how to unclog blocks that imprison your psyche -- and release the enormous energy within, allowing you to build a bright new future, with beautiful new possibilities, unhaunted by the ghosts of yesterday.

17 Juli 201856min

Independence Day seems to be a good time to take stock of your own state of independence. Do you feel free or do you feel subjugated to forces controlling your life -- your job, expectations of others, your inner fears? Is your spirit light and soaring like a bird, or are you weighed down and drained? Perhaps this compels us to ask the bigger question: What actually is true independence? Is it a physical state -- as in not being confined to a dungeon, or is it an emotional and psychological state? What can we do to experience and grow our independence? How can we become freed from our trappings? Please join Rabbi Jacobson on this July 4th special, and learn how to honestly evaluate your state of independence and your capacity to free yourself of the shackles (within and without) that hold you down. Whether you are dependent, co-dependent or in-dependent you will discover news ways that empower you to take wing and fly to unprecedented heights.

5 Juli 201852min

Integrity is a critical component in virtually every aspect of existence. From infrastructures to relationships, from nature to medicine, from education to leadership - when integrity is compromised the entire entity is jeopardized. Integrity engenders trust and builds confidence and stability. Nothing, frankly, can be relied upon if their is no integrity. And yet, most of us can agree that we live in times when integrity is in crisis. What impact does this have on our psyches and societies? What can we do to restore integrity? The first step in addressing all problems is awareness -- realizing the vital importance of integrity, identifying the problem, understanding its consequences and implications and finding solutions. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this candid talk, shining a light on ourselves, on our values and on our current social standards -- asking the big question: Why is integrity so rare of a commodity today? Do we appreciate its value and power? And how can we rebuild

28 Juni 201849min

With high profile celebrity suicides in recent news, this painfully tragic issue has returned to the fore. Perhaps the single most dreaded and shame-filled act, suicide remains one of the darkest deeply hidden secrets in a family's life. Citing statistics about something so alarming, seems callous and insensitive, yet this unfortunate data can hopefully serve to propel us to action with increased and focused urgency. Facing the devastating facts, that 45,000 people die by suicide each year - and that's only in the USA - should open our eyes and hearts to be more vigilant to the signs of those who are at risk. The annual age-adjusted suicide rate is 13.42 per 100,000 individuals... And this does not even touch upon attempted suicides. What can we do to stem this tide? What can we do or say to someone with suicidal thoughts or words? How can we help a family member or friend in need? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as he addresses this most distressing issue from both a practical and

21 Juni 201859min

"Trust me" is one of the most untrustworthy statements one can make. Would you trust someone simply because they ask you (or tell you) to trust them? Trust must be earned. This is especially true in a situation -- and an environment -- in which trust has been violated, and people have been hurt by those they trusted. But how does one earn trust? Trust is the single most important ingredient in any true communication; it creates the fertile ground for all relationships. What ingredients are necessary for trust to flourish? How do we gain trust? Can one love without trust? And how does one regain trust after it has been betrayed? Please join Rabbi Jacobson as he dissects the anatomy of trust, its importance in our lives and how we can build (and rebuild) trusting relationships. Discover surprising insights into the nature of trust, and how it can help you in every aspect of your life.

21 Juni 201855min

When faced with a dilemma do you usually find yourself stuck between two stark options - yes or no, right or wrong, hold or fold, proceed or retreat? Do you tend to look at things in black and white? Or in extremes? Do you see people in terms of being either friend or foe? When someone hurts you, do you write them off? When you run into an obstacle, do you easily give up? So often, we only see two options before us. Whether this is due to social conditioning or lack of training, this myopic view on life -- that things are either good or bad -- can seriously limit us from achieving our goals and beyond, as well as impede the great potential in our lives and our relationships. Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this fascinating presentation, which offers a new approach to dealing with virtually every challenge and confrontation in life. We shall call it The Third Option -- one that looks beyond the immediate and the obvious two dimensional perspective, and finds a third way to see things.

11 Juni 201855min

How would you define civilization? Do you think that the standards for a civilized society have changed over the years? Would we consider, say, ancient Greece as civilized? How would they consider us? Which words would you use to describe civilized: cultured, educated, ethical, enlightened, refined, sophisticated, advanced, or something else? Are there even objective values with which to measure civilization? Please join Rabbi Jacobson in this pre-Shavuot class as he presents a surprisingly new definition of civilized life based on the 3330-year old Sinai experience. Discover how this revolutionary event radically changed the universe and introduced the true meaning of a healthy civilization to the world. Learn how it offers us a blueprint for personal and global transformation and redemption.

24 Maj 201852min