20 | JANUARY 26 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

W

hat does it mean to belong 
to the Jewish people? What 
are our strengths and 
challenges in this ever-changing world? 
These are some of the questions that 
will be asked in JLearn’s new class titled 
“Thoughtful Judaism: Peoplehood and 
Practice in Today’s Changing World.” 
The class is described as an exciting, 
thought-provoking learning experience 
offering fundamental concepts of 
Judaism and Jewish life while exploring 
compelling questions in Jewish thought.
Designed by the Shalom Hartman 
Institute — a think tank for world 
Judaism — the class is being led by 
Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, Rabbi Emeritus 
of Ann Arbor’s Beth Israel 
Congregation where he 
has served since 1988. 
Dobrusin was ordained 
from the Jewish Theological 
Seminary and, in 2015, was 
named one of the 33 most 
inspiring rabbis in America 
by The Forward.
JLearn is the Adult Jewish Learning 
department of The J-Detroit. 
This is a 12-week course beginning 
March 1, fully taking place on Zoom on 
Wednesdays from 10-11:15 a.m. Tuition 
is $175. This is a pluralistic class for all 
levels of learners. 
This class represents the first two 
units of a four-unit class. Series 2 (Faith 
and Ethics) will be offered next fall.
The Hartman Institute provides 
study material for the course, including 
traditional and contemporary texts 
addressing these issues. 
“Those who facilitate the class, like 
I’m going to do, bring in additional 

material that we think fits in with the 
material presented, with the idea of 
engaging in conversations on these 
significant issues that give people of 
all different Jewish backgrounds an 
opportunity to talk together, learn from 
each other and explore these issues in a 
serious way,” Dobrusin said. 
Dobrusin, who taught the material in 
a class last year, said the experience was 
extraordinarily successful in terms of 
opening people’s thinking in areas they 
hadn’t considered before. 
In the first unit, discussion will take 
place about where considering yourself 
part of the Jewish people fits in the 
hierarchy of priorities and values. 
“How important is it for a Jew to feel 
part of the Jewish people, as opposed 
to other things, engaging in prayer or 
ritual traditions? What does it mean 
when we talk about the Jewish people as 
a family? 

“How do we deal with disagreements 
and conflicts within the Jewish 
community? How do we deal with 
the different aspects or priorities that 
different Jewish communities might 
have? 
“How do we connect with our 
brothers and sisters in Israel as Jews? 
Those are the kinds of topics we’ll be 
talking about. but grounded in specific 
texts which will serve as a trigger for 
the discussions,” Dobrusin said. 
“This is not intended for people 
of one particular level of Jewish 
background or another. It’s really an 
opportunity for everybody to come 
together, whatever their backgrounds 
are, and whatever their perspectives are, 
and learn from each other.” 

To register, call (248) 205-2557 or visit JLearn.online.

Rabbi Robert Dobrusin offers new JLearn course.

What Does It Mean 
to Be Jewish?

Rabbi 
Robert 
Dobrusin

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER