From the desk of Rabbi Simon Jacobson, director of the Meaningful Life Center: Some years ago a fellow came to see me to discuss his, as he put it, “miserable life.” “As far back as I can remember,” he told me, “I was shunned. People would ridicule and pick on me.” “I don’t know what it is about me,” he continued, “but I seem to project a negative energy that elicits scorn and contempt • Full Article

From the desk of Rabbi Simon Jacobson, director of the Meaningful Life Center: Is the universe indeterministic or deterministic? Random or designed? Are our lives predestined or not? At first glance, one would assume that the answer to these questions is dependent on belief in G-d • Full Article

From the desk of Rabbi Simon Jacobson, director of the Meaningful Life Center: Trust is all over the news these days. Do we trust our political parties and media? What about our financial institutions and insurance companies? Higher up: Can we trust our government? Can countries trust each other? Will the United States remain a trusted superpower? And finally – the holy economic grail itself: Can we trust our economic system: Capitalism? • Full Article

From the desk of Rabbi Simon Jacobson, director of the Meaningful Life Center: With the war in Israel and Gaza escalating and anti-Semitism rearing its ugly head, we are reminded in this week’s Torah portion of events that shaped our civilized world, helping us reclaim our human mandate, and wage war against those forces that wish to defile the dignity of our sacred lives, and destroy the fabric of our society and the values we cherish • Full Article

By Rabbi Simon Jacobson: In response to last week’s article about the spiritual centrality of Israel, I would like to address one particular issue that was raised, regarding the role of the non-Jew in the big picture. It’s all well and fine to say that Jews must reconnect with their own spirituality if they are to have a healthy relationship with the Promised Land. But where does that leave the non-Jewish world, including the many Arabs living in Israel today? • Full Article