etro
Positive Psychology
New class offers insight into
the Jewish take on happiness.
W
—Fox Run resident Dr. Leonard Stein
Living at Fox Run in Novi, Dr. Leonard Stein has time to
work full-time as an optometrist and develop his eye for
photography. Since dining, maintenance and 24-hour security
are all handled by our expert full-time staff, Fox Run residents
have more energy and opportunity to pursue their passions.
Fox Run is a great place for seniors who enjoy an active lifestyle.
Learn more about independent
retirement living at Fox Run in Novi.
Call 1-800-989-0293 today for
your free brochure.
Fox Run
Add more Living to your Life'
14 October 30 • 2014
hen Israeli-born psycholo-
gist Tal Ben-Shahar began
teaching a class called
Positive Psychology at Harvard in 2006,
a record 855 undergraduate students
signed up for his class. Droves of
students at the academically intense
university came to learn, as the course
description puts it, about "psychologi-
cal aspects of a fulfilling and flourish-
ing life
Speaking to the Harvard Crimson,
Professor Ben-Shahar attributed the
class' high numbers to one simple fac-
tor: "People want to be happy. Whether
it is at Harvard or any other place, peo-
ple want to be happier. There are over
200 campuses just in the United States
alone where positive psychology is
being taught and, on most campuses, it
is one of the, if not the, largest classes"
Beginning this November,
Rabbi Shneur Silberberg of
the Sara & Morris Tugman
Bais Chabad Torah Center,
in partnership with the
Jewish Federation's Alliance
for Adult Education, will
present "How Happiness
Thinks: Jewish Perspectives Rabbi
on Positive Psychology"
Silberberg
The six-week course, part
of the Rohr Jewish Learning
Institute (JLI) curriculum, will address
critical questions: How can we rise
above the everyday worries and frus-
trations? What is the self-concept that
yields happiness? How can I turn my
good fortune — wealth, beauty, genius
or power — into happiness? And what
can help us cope through difficult
moments of grief?
Classes will be offered twice weekly,
Sunday mornings (beginning Nov.
2), 11 a.m. at Bais Chabad in West
Bloomfield and Thursday evenings
(beginning Nov. 6), 7 p.m. at the Jewish
Federation Building in Bloomfield
Township. The cost is $80, including
textbook; scholarships are available. A
complimentary breakfast will be served
Sundays.
"The course focuses on ways to over-
come the challenges that get in the way
of our happiness, including stress, grief
and self-concept" Silberberg says. "But
we're also going to discuss techniques
to boost our happiness such as humil-
ity, gratitude and meaningful living"
Bais Chabad has partnered with the
Federation for five years, offering three
six-week courses a year. This year's
courses will include How Happiness
Thinks, The Art of Parenting
(January) and Dynamic Wisdom:
The Development of Jewish Law and
Tradition Through the Ages (May).
"The purpose of FedEd [Federation's
lifelong learning department] is to
offer a variety of courses for adult
learners in a non-denominational
environment" said Judy Loebl, asso-
ciate director, FedEd. "The classes
taught by Rabbi Shneur have been a
wonderful part of what we offer and
have come to attract people of all
kinds, including those without any
prior experience or background in
Jewish learning"
Many of the JLI courses given by
Silberberg are recognized in
the academic and professional
world. The upcoming course
on happiness, for example, is
accredited for continuing educa-
tion (CE) credit by a number of
associations for medicine and
psychology.
Roni Leibovitch, 34, of West
Bloomfield is looking forward
to taking the next course, which
will be his sixth in the JLI series.
"JLI has allowed my wife and me to
connect with Judaism in a new dimen-
sion and walk away with very practical
yet meaningful lessons that we incor-
porate into our everyday lives" he said.
"Recent studies have shown that
Jews are very proud of being Jewish
but lack clarity as to what it is that
Judaism teaches" Silberberg explained.
"The truth is that Judaism has so
much to offer in just about any field
of study. My mission is to make that
knowledge accessible and meaningful
to anyone interested in learning. By
having a deeper understanding of our
rich heritage, we are better equipped
to pass those messages along to our
children and friends, thereby preserv-
ing and strengthening the Jewish
people as a whole:' ❑
Interested students can visit baischabad.
com/jii for more information and to regis-
ter, or contact Rabbi Silberberg at
rabbishneur®baischabad.com .