Speaking of Justice

Recommended but not required: one unit of Jewish Ethics, as well as Jews, Jewish Community & Race

This course is currently closed to new enrollment.

About This Course

This course will be divided into three parts: Radical Jews and Social Justice (in partnership with Darshan Yeshiva), justice and communication, and select justice issues.

First, Jewish educator and entrepreneur Aaron Levi helps us understand the roots of Jewish social justice and the history of Jewish justice work. This particular look at Jewish history is through the lens of what is “radical” within a generation.

Second, Rabbi Patrick Beaulier shows us how to speak about justice beyond our own gut instincts. Using ideas from Jewish texts, Rabbi Patrick shows how the words we use matter, and how to use words that work.

In the final component, Rabbi Patrick will lead two text studies on hot topic justice issues, where students will see how knowledge of Jewish justice and communicating justice come together.

In order to have a single, one credit course, we have had to cut back on the volumes of books, speakers, exercises, and materials that speak to Jewish social justice. Understand that this is but one of many justice courses we hope to have.

Course Objectives

The goal is not to convince you to hold a particular set of beliefs on what Jewish social justice is, or to hold to a particular set of halachic rulings on pressing social or political issues. 

Instead, by the end of this course, you should have a framework for understanding the history and thought behind Jewish social justice and a set of skills to communicate openly and effectively for your own justice work.

Students will show mastery of this material through a mix of quizzes, audio or video responses which they will post online to the public and share in the #PRS Slack Channel, and a final text study on a justice issue, utilizing the knowledge and skills taught in the course.