“For All Humankind,” a new CLE course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, that will be held on four consecutive Mondays starting April 27 at 7 pm. The course, which can be attended in person at the Chabad Center or via Zoom, is open to everyone, regardless of faith or background, and requires no prior knowledge of Judaism.
“For All Humankind” will address several questions: What makes a life genuinely good? What makes a society just? And do our choices add up to anything? What makes something a human being does, right or just? Where does our conviction that every person has dignity actually come from? And can we defend our deepest moral instincts – or have we simply inherited values we can no longer explain?
“This isn’t a course about becoming Jewish or joining anything,” says Rivkah Slonim, who will lead the course.“ Judaism has never believed its deepest moral values belong only to Jews. These are ideas that were always meant for everyone.”
The course will trace a set of foundational ethical ideas – about justice, human dignity, the purpose of education, and the direction of history – back to their roots in the Jewish intellectual tradition. Participants will examine how an idea that began with Abraham more than 3,000 years ago went on to shape the moral assumptions most people still live by today, often without knowing where those assumptions came from.
The four sessions will cover: the significance of ethical monotheism; the foundation of innate human dignity; the deeper purpose of educating children; and the case that history has a moral direction and that individual choices matter.
Jason Bedrick of the Education Freedom Institute and Cato Institute called the course “a timely 
exploration of the biblical roots of Western and American civic morality.”
Professor Eugene Kontorovich of George Mason School of Law praised JLI for tackling questions that go to the heart of civic life, such as what makes something a human right.
 David Flatto, Ph.D., of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law, commended the course for highlighting “the central values and commitments at stake” in building a just society, calling it “rich and illuminating.”
Slonim emphasized that no religious background or prior study is needed. “Think of it as hearing solid answers to life’s most essential ethical questions from an intellectual tradition that’s been thinking about them for over 3,000 years,” she said. “You’ll walk away with something that’s hard to find right now: the clarity to explain why your deepest values are worth holding onto, and why every choice you make adds up to a better world.”
The course cost, which includes the textbook, is $69 per individual and $120 per couple (includes one text book). Register here. A limited amount of scholarships are available. For more information, call 607 797 0015.

About JLI: The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute is the world’s largest network of Jewish adult education, offering courses in more than 1,600 locations in the United States and worldwide. JLI courses are open to all, regardless of background or affiliation. For more information, visit their website.