Ancient self-help tool revived in crash course on Kabbalah’s secrets

NEWTOWN – With the popularity of self-help literature on the rise, one Jewish center is giving this newage fad an old-school twist. Starting Oct. 21, The Jewish Learning Academy will begin a six-week crash course on the habbalah’s secrets to happiness, health, stress-relief, and inner peace.

Entitled “The habbalah of You,” the course will delve into deeply personal subjects such as achieving true selflove, falling short of expectations and tapping into a higher consciousness in a society addicted to chaos.

“This course is all about helping us become truly healthy people,” said Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein of the Jewish Learning Academy. “We know that stress is a main cause of many ailments, and our stress is a direct effect of our world view and the values we put on things.”

While Western knowledge has only recently begun to highlight the link between physical and emotional health, this is not breaking news for the Jews. “It’s a misconception that the habbalah contains only lofty ideas for scholars, mystics, and hippies,” says Rabbi Weinstein. “The habbalah gives invaluable hands-on tips for any regular Joe to attain a higher quality of everyday life. And — it has proven success.”

As a matter of fact, after The Jewish Learning Academy’s most recent course on love and marriage, many participants reported drastic improvements in their marriages and lives in general. And it’s no surprise, given the high success rates of marriages between people engaging in holistic or spiritual self-development.

“Today, we have more information and resources than ever before,” said Rabbi Weinstein, “and yet, we are ever more depressed, stressed, medicated, and confused. For true happiness, we have to take a step back, put down the iPhones and just look at the I.”

“The habbalah of You” was developed by The Jew- ish Learning Institute (JLI) and will be the 31st course of its kind hosted by The Jewish Learning Academy. The course will be taught by Rabbi Weinstein, who was a featured speaker at the most recent National Jewish Retreat.

“The habbalah of You” is open to the Jewish community, regardless of affiliation or lack thereof. The student body includes Jews from all walks of life, and no prior knowledge is necessary. At $99, the six-week course will take place weekly on Sunday mornings or Monday evenings. New registrants may try out the first class for free and receive a 15 percent discount, along with those who refer them. Registration is requested by Oct. 14.

To register, contact Stacy at stacy@jewishcenter.info or 215-497-9925.