Beginning April 28, 2010

 Beyond Never Again: How the Holocaust Speaks to Us Today

Explore the ways in which the Holocaust continues to affect our generation and colors what it means to live as a Jew today. 

The Holocaust forces us to grapple with the existence of evil and suffering. It challenges us to find faith and optimism in the face of devastation and despair. And it humbles us as we encounter heroes of the spirit who fought for truth and decency in the darkest of times.

Course Overview

Lesson 1

Wrestling With G-d
Can We Understand Human Suffering?

Why does G-d allow good people to suffer? Is any explanation adequate? Are we meant to silently accept what we cannot understand? Or is it our moral obligation to quarrel with G-d about the existence of human tragedy?

Lesson 2

The Voice of Your Brother’s Blood Cries Out
How the Holocaust Impacts Us as Jews

The universal message of the Holocaust emerges from the appreciation of its particulars. We cannot begin to fathom what was lost unless we are able to hear individual stories, and see the specific impact of the Holocaust on Jews and Jewish life.

Lesson 3

In Their Deaths They Were Not Parted
The Mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem (Sanctification of G-d’s Name)

What is the purpose of life, and what purposes make life worth living? Why are all those who died in the Holocaust considered holy martyrs, and how does our memory of them affect the way we live our lives today?

Lesson 4

Out of the Depths I Call to You
Finding Faith in Difficult Times

While we cannot always know “why” something happens, we can learn to use every experience as a catalyst for positive transformation. Faith is not a crutch for the weak, but the framework of life for the strong. Trust in G-d is not born of simplistic denial of harsh reality, but of profound humility in the presence of the Divine plan.

Lesson 5

A Tree of Life to Those Who Cling to It
Halachic Questions of the Holocaust Era

Many who lived through the Holocaust continued to turn to Halachah (Jewish Torah law) for guidance. It served as a source of comfort and solace, a spiritual anchor and moral compass in a world gone mad.

Lesson 6

When Night Will Shine Like Day
Ensuring a Brighter Tomorrow

What can we expect of humanity after the Holocaust? How could the most advanced society on earth fall prey to moral bankruptcy? And what made thousands sacrifice their lives to save others? How can we retain faith in the future of the universe—and what we can we do to ensure a brighter tomorrow?