Practicing Hope: A Mussar Class with Rabbi Shahar Colt and Mimi Micner

It is easy to look around us and feel despair at all the brokenness in our world. But to keep living, hope is essential. Where does this hope come from, and what is it really? Mussar is a Jewish framework for developing specific personal qualities. In this class we will study mussar to explore and practice some Jewish techniques for managing despair and cultivating hope.

Each class will include some learning of Jewish texts as well as conversation, reflection, and practice activities to try between sessions.

Mimi Micner is a fifth year Rabbinical Student at Hebrew College in Newton. She has taught mussar in multiple contexts, including at Brown Hillel and Shir Tikva in Winchester. While in rabbinical school she has served as the Advocacy and Campaigns Specialist at Keshet, and was a Fellow with T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.