New Adult Ed Course at Chabad Dives into The Meaning of Life

Beginning Sunday, Feb. 6, Rabbi Shalom Paltiel will lead a six-week adult education course, “Toward A Meaningful Life: A Soul-searching Journey for Every Jew” at . 

Teaching a course on meaningful living seems fitting for Rabbi Paltiel in the year that Chabad celebrates 20th anniversary in Port Washington. Rabbi Paltiel reflects back to 1991 when he and his wife Sara Paltiel were expecting their first child and moved from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to Port Washington.

The rabbi has fully enjoyed setting his family’s roots here and credits “how the old small town feeling of Port Washington, which is rare in a rather metropolitan area," has kept him grounded as he has managed his family life with his life of service.

Chabad, whose mission includes re-establishing and strengthening Judaic faith, seems to be ever evolving. Currently in the works is what might be best described as a children's indoor experience center that resembles Israel, complete with a market and a live feed to the Western Wall. Also in the works: a gymnasium, where Chabad will host its anniversary gala in April. And perhaps as soon as summer, there will be an outdoor nautically-themed playground for children. 

On the more immediate front, Rabbi Paltiel hopes the upcoming personal growth course will help participants “identify how all the spokes in the wheel of their lives connects to our central hub of what our lives are about. We will explore how all the myriad of details – work, family, friends, health – that consume our daily lives can be tended to and balanced to create an inner harmony.”

He explains further. The “little time-consuming details in our lives oftentimes seems like distractions from the big picture, but in actuality, they are very useful," he pointed out. "For example, your work life and making a living contributes not only to your family’s bottom line but also to your general purpose as a human being. The same goes for marriages, relationships and family. We will cover each area in the series.”

Chabad typically offers three adult education series a year, covering topics that include Jewish mysticism, medical ethics, Bible criticism.

Amy Zahn Stern, a second-generation Port Washington resident, has enrolled in other adult education courses taught by Paltiel. She praises him as being “a most wonderful speaker" and credits the classes as a great way to stay centered. "Each class has helped remind me of what’s important in life, how to get back to the basics and stay grounded," she said. "My husband and I take the classes together, and we greatly look forward to our Sundays.”

While their daughter attends the Hebrew School at Chabad, Vahn-Stern and her husband study in the adult education program and enjoy “how the courses cover deep topics but in a light inspirational way over bagels and coffee.”

Each class in the series is 90 minutes, given as lectures with discussion periods. Paltiel utilizes teachings from the Torah and the wisdom of Kabbalah to provide insights and meaning in life’s journey.

Port resident Laurie Radler said she looks forward to the adult ed courses at Chabad.

"Rabbi Paltiel brings his own knowledge from his study plus his insights on what the Rebbe would say," Radler noted. She was referring to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who is described on Chabad.org as "the seventh leader in the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty," and "considered to have been the most phenomenal Jewish personality of modern times."

Speaking about the adult education program, Radler added, "There's a lot of group participation. We've got a pretty cohesive group now."

To learn more about the course, click here. Or, call 516-767-8672 or visit www.Chabadpw.org/JLI for registration and other course-related information.

This article was updated to include the correct spelling of Amy Zahn Stern.