PATHWAY TO THE INNER LIFE

A Beginning Course in Mussar

In Three Parts

In this exciting, new course, you will learn from three revered Mussar teachers: Dr. Alan Morinis, Founder of The Mussar Institute, Rabbi Amy Eilberg, the first ordained woman Rabbi in the Conservative tradition, and Rabbi Avi Fertig, the Director of Mussar at TMI. Each of these teachers will introduce the main concepts and context for one of the three parts.

Your course will be guided by a Mussar facilitator as you work in your va'ad or small group and with your chevruta or partner. You will refine your understanding and develop new skills as you grow in awareness and wisdom, and transform your sense of your own inner nature, your relationships with those closest to you, and your relationship with the Divine Presence.

Pathway to The Inner Life is a course in three parts, each eight weeks long, and intended to be taken sequentially.

Part I: Connecting Self and Soul, introduction by Alan Morinis

Part II: Transforming Relationships, introduction by Rabbi Amy Eilberg

Part III: Engaging the Divine Presence, introduction by Avi Fertig

In all three parts, you will experience Mussar practices, such as text study, cheshbon ha'nefesh or accounting of the soul, visualization, chanting, meditation, and kaballot or exercises. You will study on your own, with a chevruta or study partner and in your va'ad or small group.

How the Course is Delivered

You'll begin each of the three parts with an essay and recorded podcast followed by bi-weekly texts and practices to help you prepare for four weekly va'ad sessions and four chevruta sessions.

Tuition Per Part: $180 for non-Chaverim and $150 for Chaverim. The Chaverim Initiative is a sustaining membership program that is open to all.

Part I: Connecting Self and Soul

Tuition: $180 is for non-Chaverim and $150 for Chaverim. We invite everyone to become a Chaver or Chavera.

Open Courses

Todd Doctor, Facilitator: Mondays 2-3:30 p.m. ET on 5/13,5/24,6/7 6/21

Judith Edelstein, Facilitator: Tuesdays 5 p.m. ET: on 5/4, 5/20, 6/3, 6/17

Demaris Methner, Facilitator: Thursdays, 4-5:30 p.m. ET, on 4/8, 4/22, 5/6, and 5/20

Sandy Greenstein, Facilitator: Tuesdays, 5-6:30 p.m. ET, 4/13, 4/27, 5/11, and 5/25

In the Jewish perspective, the soul is the primary essence of who we are. However, we do not necessarily experience our inner lives in this way, and instead develop a belief that our selves, our egos, form our primary identity.

In following the path of Mussar to build our inner lives, we have to come to appreciate the difference between self and soul, and especially to develop an understanding of the ideal relationship we can foster between these two dimensions.

In the first part of this three-part course, we bring these ideas to bear by focusing on four inner traits (middot) that with deeper understanding and balance can give us insight into and brighten the light of our soul. These are:

Humility/Anavah
Simplicity/Histapkut
Strength/Gevurah
Alacrity/Zerizut

Alan Morinis provides the introductory essay and podcast.

Part II: Transforming Relationships

Tuition: $180 non-Chaverim ;$150 Chaverim

Facilitator Ken Birenbaum, Tuesdays, 2-3:30 p.m.ET on 4/6, 4/20, 5/4, and 5/18

Facilitator Chasya Uriel Steinbauer, Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET, 4/7, 4/21, 5/5, and 5/19

Our relationships are where "the rubber hits the road. " Too often, our relationships with those closest to us are the most problematic. In this eight-week section, we will explore the middot that are directly linked with relationships and transform, or radically alter our insight into and ability to balance them. We'll study:

Anger/Ka’as
Forgiveness/Slichah
Patience/Savlanut
Lovingkindness/Chesed

Registration is open to those who have completed Part 1. You will receive the registration link in an email.

Part III: Engaging the Divine Presence

Tuition: $180 non-Chaverim; $150 Chaverim

Facilitator Helaine Sheias - Tuesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. ET - 3/23, 4/6, 4/20, and 5/4

Facilitator Ken Birenbaum - Wednesdays, 1:30-3 pm ET - 4/7, 4/21, 5/5, and 5/19

Facilitator Nancy Weiss - Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. E - 4/8, 4/22, 5/6, and 5/20

Facilitator Harvey Winokur - Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. ET - 4/14, 4/28, 5/12, and 5/26

Facilitator Jason Winston - Sundays, 2-3:30 p.m. ET - 4/4, 4/18, 5/2, and 5/16

In this portion of Pathway to The Inner Life, you will deepen your personal relationship to God, the Other, or the Divine Presence and come to understand the context of personal growth in relationship to your spiritual life.

You will explore the middot of:

Trust/Bitachon
Gratitude/Hakarat Ha’tov
Honor/Kavod
Faith/Emunah

Registration is open to those who have completed Part I and II. You will receive the registration link in an email.

MEET YOUR FACILITATORS

Rabbi Todd Doctor

About Todd

Rabbi Todd Doctor, a Houston native, is a dedicated educator who passionately believes that knowledge empowers individuals and shape lives. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Rabbi Doctor went on to earn his Rabbinical Ordination from Zeigler School of Rabbinic Studies, Masters of Arts Degree in Rabbinic Studies, and Masters of Arts Degree in Education from the Fingerhut School of Education at the University of Judaism (AJU).

Rabbi Doctor has served as a teacher, consultant and educational leader for a number of Jewish schools and agencies, across the country. Rabbi Doctor founded Minds of Tomorrow to mentor and coach a variety of age groups and those of diverse religious backgrounds. He is committed to creating innovative approaches designed to enable children, adults, families, and groups to achieve their full potential by becoming conscious of who they are as a person through the process of mentoring and coaching to consciousness.

Rabbi Doctor moved to Galveston in 2011. He is married to Sarah Shabot and they have two fabulous children, Caleb and Jacob, and their dog, Dudley.

Rabbi Judith Edelstein

About Judith

Rabbi Chasya Uriel Steinbauer has been studying Mussar and facilitating Mussar groups since she met Alan in 2001 before his first book was published. She taught Mussar at the JCC Manhattan from 2005 - 2013 and from 2008 - 2011 coordinated TMI'S Manchim Advanced Facilitator Training program. She has rabbinic leadership certification from Drisha Institute, an Orthodox women's yeshiva. In 2009, she founded the first egalitarian Mussar va'ad in Jerusalem at the Conservative Yeshiva. Currently, she directs the Kehilat Mussar at the Institute for Holiness in Israel, which she founded.

Ken Birenbaum

About Ken

Ken has been a student of Mussar since 2010, and a Mussar facilitator since 2012. After taking the Manchim facilitator training program as a student he taught that program for 2 years. He has taken and facilitated each of the Mussar Institute’s courses from beginner to advanced, and especially enjoys witnessing Mussar's transformative effects on new eyes.

He was President of his synagogue, Congregation Shaare Emeth, in St. Louis, Missouri, and served on the Boards of the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Day School, The Union for Reform Judaism, and as a Board member and Treasurer of the Mussar Institute

Chasya Uriel Steinbauer

About Chasya

Helaine Sheias

About Helaine

Nancy Weiss

About Nancy

Nancy is a depth psychotherapist, spiritual director, and Mussar facilitator dedicated to helping others discover unique pathways to their soul’s expression. She serves on the Mussar Institute Facilitator Council. As Coordinator of Manchim, the Advanced Facilitator Training Programco-wrote the course with Alan Morinis. A collage artist, poet, and SoulCollage® facilitator, Nancy guides people in bringing an expressive voice to the Mussar traits and spiritual principles. Her collage art appears in Midrashic Mirrors, which illustrates the richness of creating art to reflect the essence of each Torah portion.

Harvey Winokur

About Harvey

Rabbi Winokur, a native of Nework, earned his B.A. at SUNY at Buffalo, and his M.A. and Ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. He is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Kehillat Chaim, a Reform Congregation in Roswell, Georgia which he founded in 1982. Rabbi Winokur is a Facilitator/Trainer for Prepare-Enrich, an organization that administers premarital/marital needs assessments, a certified Spiritual Director, and a Trainer-Facilitator for The Mussar Institute.

Jason Winston

About Jason

Sharon Schwartz

About Sharon

Sharon discovered Mussar through Alan Morinis’ book, Climbing Jacob's Ladde in 2008 and looked for a way to study with others in order to deepen her practice. She joined the first Manchim facilitator training group and soon after facilitated her first va'ad through Season of Mussar I and II. She went on to collaborate with Alan to adapt Path of the Soul for va’adim. In 2018, she joined the Facilitator Development Council and currently serves as its chair.

Sharon says, “I work with an amazing team of dedicated TMI volunteers, all devoted to making the facilitator experience as easy, comprehensive, and enriching as possible for all members of our Facilitator Network.”

Sandy Greenstein

About Sandy

Sandy is Co-President of the Board of The Mussar Institute. He has more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing, construction, and risk management-loss control. He lives in beautiful Thousand Oaks, Calif. He believes strongly in Mussar’s path of Jewish character development and spiritual growth. and that by practicing Mussar and as a Mussar Facilitator, he has helped close the gap between his ideals and the life he actually leads.

Damaris Methner

About Damaris

Damaris Methner is a Mussar facilitator who is noted for her eco lyricism; illuminating the connection to the sacred shattered sparks of creation that exist in nature and the poetic expression of that relationship. Her writing on “hearthkeeping” articulates the application of Mussar to the role of caretaker. Damaris is a clinical psychologist. Her doctoral dissertation and research focused on the use of metacognition with learning disabled students. Metacognition is also the contemplative practice used in Mussar to access the superconscious, the highest “Soul” level of human consciousness.