A heartening six week course from JLI
A fresh look at life, death, and the rest in peace
Early bird $99 when you register by October 15.
We know what happens to the body. But what happens to the soul when a person is born, and again when they pass away? This course walks through the Jewish answer, one honest question at a time.
It's practical and it's personal. You'll come away with a Jewish view of life that starts before birth and keeps going long after we're gone, and a clearer sense of what to do with the time in between.
Journey of the Soul is a course of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, the world’s largest network for adult Jewish learning.
The lessons follow the soul in order, from the moment of passing through mourning, the afterlife, and back into life.
Why are we so anxious about dying? For a lot of people, the finality of death makes life itself feel pointless. We'll see how the soul never ends. It just shifts roles, so life and death become two steps on the same path.
Is death painful for the soul? Is my presence felt when I visit a grave? Jewish burial customs walk the soul through its transition out of the body. We'll look at those customs and at how the soul's bond with the living keeps going in new ways.
What does Jewish grieving actually look like, and why do the traditions matter? A real Jewish perspective on grief, plus practical shiva etiquette for mourners and for the people who want to comfort them.
People have been drawn by the promise of heaven and scared by the threat of hell for centuries. Here's what Jews actually believe about where every soul goes, and how saying Kaddish helps a soul reach real peace.
Reincarnation is more than a fascinating topic. Judaism gives a practical way to picture it and explains why it matters, both to souls that have passed and to our lives right now.
By now death looks less like an ending and more like the next chapter of a mission. So we come back to this chapter, rethink our priorities, and find ways to fill each day with something that lasts.
Wednesdays at 7:30 PM
October 28 through December 2. Six weekly sessions.
At Chabad of Hall County, or on Zoom
We'll send the location and the Zoom link once you register.
$110, textbook included
$99 if you register by October 15.
Your instructor
Rabbi Nechemia Gurevitz is co-director of Chabad of Hall County, a center for Jewish education and programming for the emerging Jewish community in Hall. He studied Bible, Talmud, and Kabbalah at leading yeshivas, including Ohalei Torah in Brooklyn and the Institut Supérieur Etude Rabbinique Talmudique in Brunoy, France, and received his rabbinic ordination from the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva in Crown Heights.
Before coming to Gainesville, he served as a roving rabbi in communities from Chernihiv, Ukraine, to Nashville, Tennessee. He lives in Gainesville with his wife and co-director, Shaina, and their four children.
Questions before you sign up? Call or text 770-906-4970 or email rabbi@jewishhall.com.
It’s the most popular course JLI has ever taught, with more than 30,000 participants so far.
“This course will be of interest to any human being, since we all think about dying, death, and the afterlife. . . . I highly recommend this course.”
“Journey of the Soul is both a timely and timeless opportunity. . . . It cannot help but deepen our appreciation of human connections and the way in which we find and make meaning in life.”
“Journey of the Soul does look to be a fascinating integration of ancient views on death primarily from the Jewish tradition with modern psychological understandings of the role of death perspectives in managing our anxieties about mortality.”
“Journey of the Soul addresses philosophical issues surrounding death. . . . As one who has taught courses in death and dying since 1970, I find this course to be intriguing, timely, and worth taking.”
“Perfectly pitched. Interesting, humorous in places, and relevant regardless of the age of the learner.”
Six Wednesday evenings starting October 28, at Chabad of Hall County or on Zoom.
None at all. Everything's taught in English, and the course is built for people coming to this for the first time. If you've studied before, you'll still find plenty that's new.
Not at all. It's for anyone who's ever wondered about the soul. That said, if you're grieving right now, a lot of people find this course comforting, and you're more than welcome.
Yes. Zoom students get the same lesson live, and you can ask questions just like everyone in the room. We'll send you the link after you register.
Each lesson stands on its own, so you won't be lost. Just let us know and we'll help you catch up before the next one.
You’re welcome to. Most people come for the whole series because the lessons build on each other, but drop-ins are always welcome. Call or text 770-906-4970 and we’ll sort out the details.
Yes. Tuition covers the student textbook, and it's yours to keep.
Please come anyway. Reach out privately at rabbi@jewishhall.com and we'll work it out. Nobody gets turned away over tuition.
Two more JLI courses are on the way in 2027, same format, right here at Chabad of Hall County and on Zoom.
HowWinter 2027 · Six lessons
A Jewish roadmap to a happier life. Torah and the Talmud were teaching ideas about happiness centuries before positive psychology started confirming them. Each lesson pairs real insight into how your mind works with practical steps for handling stress, gratitude, loss, and your own shortcomings.
JudaismSpring 2027 · Six lessons
How did we get from the text of the Torah to the Judaism we practice today? Explore the “source code” behind Jewish law, why the Talmud is full of debates, whether rabbis can change the rules, and what evidence there is for Sinai.
Want a heads up when registration opens? Email us and we’ll put you on the list.
Journey of the Soul is a course of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, presented by Chabad of Hall County.