Discover the Values That Shape Judaism's Civil Code

Beginning Wednesday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m., Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky of the Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights will offer a fascinating course on personal ethics in the light of Jewish Civil Law. Beyond Right, a groundbreaking, new six-session course by the acclaimed Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), explores ethical questions big and small.

Can you help yourself to someone else's possessions if you are sure they won't mind? Must you forgive and accept a repentant antisemitic tormentor? If your neighbor blocks your sunlight with a two-story fence, do you have legal recourse? Do you have a legal obligation to report someone's plans to commit a violent crime?

"Many people are surprised to discover the attention Jewish law devotes to disputes between neighbors, ethical dilemmas involving the workplace, and maintaining a peaceful and moral society," Rabbi Kotlarsky said. "They assume Jewish law mostly addresses religious practice."

The course, approved for Continuing Legal Education in Illinois, will explore six foundational Jewish values that underlie the practical application of Jewish civil legislation, translating abstract principles into detailed guidance on common real-life scenarios.

"The JLI course Beyond Right explores fundamental topics that are of vital importance for any just society in light of the profound teachings of the Jewish legal tradition," said Professor David Flatto of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Law. "It highlights the central values and commitments that are at stake in addressing these issues. I commend JLI for developing this rich and illuminating course."

Informative, practical, and insightful, Beyond Right is sure to generate an appreciation for Jewish law as a distinctive Jewish system that can be utilized as a source of guidance and clarity when one is faced with professional or personal dilemmas.

Martin Pritikin, Dean of Concord Law School at Purdue University, has praised Beyond Right as a course that "helps shine a light on what it means to be a nation living under the rule of law, and indeed, what it means to be human."

Beyond Right is approved in Illinois for legal professionals seeking to fulfill their CLE requirements. The course is designed for people at all levels, including those without prior experience or background in Jewish learning. All JLI courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated.

The course will be offered in-person as well as over Zoom.

Interested students may call (224) 357-7002 or visit www.ChabadAH.org/jli for registration and for other course-related information.