Deep learning never ends.  When we close a book, a tractate of Talmud, or a podcast, or finish a course or a degree, we celebrate with siyyum - a recognition that what we learned will forever be a part of us. 

Tzedakah - the Jewish concept of philanthropy - balances the strategic needs of support for the vulnerable, sustaining the community, and seeking justice - with the spiritual and emotional impact of giving with joy.  To support Goucher Hillel during Hillel Global Giving Week (May 2-7), when gifts are matched 2:1 for triple the impact, click here.

A deep and fundamental aspect of Judaism is our connectedness to the earth.  It is our sacred responsibility and a dynamic source of spirituality.  For more resources on the connections between Judaism and the Environment beyond this episode, check out the following links as possible points of departure:

http://www.ellenbernstein.org/shomrei-adamah

https://www.pearlstonecenter.org/jofee/

https://hazon.org/judaism-and-the-environment-101/

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/green-jews/

What does the concept of love of Israel entail today?  What does sharing a sense of peoplehood mean to how Jews relate to one another, and how the world relates to them?

You can watch Andrew Lustig's "What it Means to Be Jewish" here.

This Yom HaShoah, we connect with the idea and memory of spiritual resistance during the Holocaust.  By the simple act of living and holding onto humanity through art, faith, and expression, Jewish people under Nazi tyranny participated in an audacious and powerful act of resistance. For more reading, click on the following links:

https://www.yadvashem.org/education/educational-materials/lesson-plans/spiritual-resistance.html

https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/ringelblum/index.asp

Passover is an opportunity to leave our own personal Egypt-state-of-mind, to see ourselves in the span of generations and to declare 'next year in Jerusalem'.

Service is at the heart of Jewish observance, and yet it is often moved out of the spotlight in favor of ritual.  How can we center ourselves and find space for service in our busy lives?

Mussar is a Jewish method of character development through reflection and intentional practice. We explore some of the key mussar practices, like chanting phrases with 'lips aflame', studying reflexively, and real-world assignments. For more mussar resources, you may want to explore these links:
https://jewishcamp.org/making-mensches/
https://contemporarymussar.org/
https://mussarinstitute.org/
https://mussarblues.com/about-mussar-chanting