Course Objectives

While it is difficult to fully appreciate the heroes of this course without understanding the historical backdrop, this course is first and foremost biographical. Through the prism of the vignettes and anecdotes recorded in the Talmud, we gain a sense of the timelessness of Jewish values. We can see what was important to the sages, from the stories they recorded. In the process of reading these lives as the sages of the Talmud preserved them, we have the opportunity to reflect on the attitudes and strategies that provide us with the resilience and strength to adapt to difficult times.

Some of the questions the course addresses are:

• Are leaders born or made? How do circumstance and personality interact in the lives of our Jewish heroes? 
   
• How do leaders respond to change? Do shifting times require shifting values, or is there a way to adapt to new conditions while remaining faithful to eternal principles? 
   
• In what ways can these stories help us nurture our own strengths and identify our personal style of leadership? How can they inspire us to take a more proactive role in living with character and dignity?