Meaningful Life Skills with Rabbi Simon Jacobson

The 25th anniversary of September 11th this year coincides with Rosh Hashana. What can we learn from this powerful convergence? Every one of us remembers exactly where we were on September 11, 2001. I remember it vividly. I went to the rooftop of my office building in Brooklyn and saw the two towers smoking—already struck, already devastated. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. Lower Manhattan, the heart of the world’s financial center, seemed to have been destroyed beyond repair. The Twin Towers’ shocking collapse inflicted such trauma that many wondered if we could ever recover. But it wasn’t only the buildings that were shaken. The American psyche was shaken. The threat of terrorism, which had seemed so far away, had suddenly arrived at our doorstep. No one knew what would happen next. There was confusion, fear, uncertainty. September 11th fell on a Tuesday, just days before Rosh Hashana. I remember spontaneously writing a heartfelt article titled, “Today the World Trembles. Today the World Is Born.” It was inspired by the words of the Rosh Hashana prayer: Hayom harat olam —today the world trembles and is born. The world certainly trembled that day. But, at the same time, the world was also being born. Twenty-five years later, look at Lower Manhattan. What seemed irreparably shattered was rebuilt. Not simply restored, but transformed—rising again in ways few could have imagined. Its population has tripled, social life is thriving -- the neighborhood has come roaring back, making it the envy of other U.S. downtowns. And that raises a profound question: What is the secret of rebuilding after destruction? This isn’t only a question about cities and buildings. It is a question about each of us. We all experience moments when our own “towers” come crashing down—loss, disappointment, failure, confusion, emotional pain. Sometimes life can leave us feeling that something has been destroyed beyond repair. How do we rebuild? How do we grow through the pain rather than simply survive it? How do we transform what happened to us into something that strengthens us? Perhaps this is one of the deepest messages of Rosh Hashana: the power to begin again. Every year, we are given the opportunity not merely to turn the page, but to create a new beginning—to rebuild, renew, and become something greater than we were before. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a special pre-Rosh Hashana program on September 11th as we explore The Power to Begin Again —the power to turn trembling into rebirth, destruction into rebuilding, and a new year into a new beginning.

Every healthy organization, every company, every living organism needs moments to stop and take stock. How are we doing? What worked? What didn’t? What can we learn? What needs to be repaired? And most importantly: How do we take those lessons and create a better future? This time of year gives us that opportunity. It is a season of reflection, introspection, and soul-searching. But true reflection requires two essential ingredients. First, accountability —the courage to look honestly at our lives. To acknowledge what we’ve been blessed with and express gratitude, while also having the honesty to recognize what needs repair and where we can do better. And then comes the second step: renewal . We cannot remain trapped in the past. Reflection is not about looking backward for its own sake; it is about looking back so we can move forward—with greater clarity, purpose, and intention. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we mark this important milestone in our lives: From Reflection to Renewal: Looking Back with Gratitude. Moving Forward with Purpose.

One of the most universal questions human beings have ever asked is: Where is G-d? Where and how can I find Him? From the beginning of history, people have searched for answers—in books and debates, in songs and poetry, even through wars fought in G-d’s name. Recently, I asked one of my young grandchildren, “Where is G-d?” He answered, “G-d is invisible. He’s everywhere.” Is that the answer? Perhaps we need to revisit our very understanding of G-d and where His presence can be found. Perhaps the deeper truth is that we don’t have to search for G-d at all. He is already here. The question is: Are we open to letting Him in? Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital discussion as we explore the timeless teaching of the Kotzker Rebbe, who, when asked, “Where is G-d?” answered: “Wherever you let Him in.”

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be? It’s an important question. But there’s an even bigger one: Is real change actually possible? Our habits, patterns, routines, and the inertia of the status quo can hold tremendous power over us. We may want to change, but somehow find ourselves returning to the same place. And yet, there are times when the energy for change is greater than usual—when we’re given the opportunity to transcend our past, access deeper dimensions within ourselves, and become who we were meant to be. That time begins now . The next 60 days are a journey—from where you are to where you can be. A journey of recognizing your potential and beginning to actualize it. We call it the 60-Day Journey —the period we know as the High Holiday season. But rather than simply a season on the calendar, see it as an opportunity: a window to create real, lasting change. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for a timely and powerful discussion on how to access the dimensions within yourself you may have thought were beyond reach. Your next 60 days could change everything.

Two vivid memories from my childhood summers have never left me. I remember being in the bungalow colony after a rainfall, rushing outside in search of the orange salamanders. The green ones were common, especially near the lake—but finding an orange one felt like discovering hidden treasure. I remember gently holding one in my hand. It was soft. Delicate. Beautiful. And then there were the ladybugs—bright orange with their black dots. One would land on your hand, linger for a moment, and then suddenly spread its wings and fly away. I often think about the sense of awe those moments awakened. Everything felt magical. Every discovery was an adventure. Then I ask myself: What happened to that wonder? I saw it in my own children when they were young. I see it now in my grandchildren. That same sparkle. That same fascination with the smallest things. Yet somewhere along the way, many of us lose it. Do we simply become more realistic? Or do we become more hardened, more distracted, more jaded? Do we mistake losing our innocence for growing up? This is far more than a sentimental question. It affects the quality of our entire lives. When people say they're bored, restless, searching for excitement, they're often searching for something much deeper. They're searching for what was once natural—the innocence, the purity, the sense that life itself was an unfolding miracle. Like untouched white snow before the first footprint. Like a world where every day held the promise of discovery. Life certainly becomes more complex. We carry responsibilities, disappointments, and burdens. But the capacity for wonder was never meant to disappear. And perhaps that's one of the gifts of summer. It has a way of stirring those childhood memories and reminding us that beneath all the layers we've accumulated, there remains a part of us that never stopped longing for the infinite. It may be buried, but it is never lost. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson and discover that the more we reconnect with that place of awe, the richer our lives become. Our relationships deepen. Our happiness becomes more lasting. And the ordinary begins to reveal the extraordinary once again.

What role does empathy play in the healing process? Healing has become one of the defining pursuits of our time. Whether through medicine, therapy, or countless approaches to emotional and psychological well-being, people everywhere are searching for ways to heal. Yet there is one essential force that, while often acknowledged, is still profoundly underestimated: empathy. You've probably heard of mirror neurons. Science has shown that we're wired to mirror one another's experiences. Watch someone accidentally slam a door on their fingers, God forbid, and you'll instinctively cringe. You may even cry out, "Ouch!" Though the pain isn't yours, you feel it because, in some way, you have entered their experience. But what if empathy is more than a reflex? What if it's one of the most powerful healing forces we possess? Can another person begin to heal simply because they know they're not alone? Because they feel deeply seen, understood, and held with genuine care and compassion? Perhaps healing doesn't begin only with the right treatment. Perhaps it begins with the reassuring presence of another human being who truly feels your pain. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we explore The Empathy Effect —how the simple act of feeling, listening, and caring can become a profound path to healing.

One of the greatest questions of life is this: How do we respond to destruction? Every one of us will face setbacks, losses, disappointments—even, G-d forbid, profound tragedy. The question is not whether pain will enter our lives, but what happens after it does. How do we face trauma? Experiences that overwhelm us, shake us to our core, and leave us wondering if we will ever be the same again. Some people are broken by such experiences. Others survive, but carry invisible scars for years. And then there are those remarkable souls who emerge stronger, deeper, and more compassionate than before. What is their secret? Humanity has invested unimaginable resources trying to answer that question—through medicine, therapy, psychology, self-help, and every imaginable means of easing the pain, quieting the anxiety, and healing the wounds of the human spirit. But is there a deeper answer? Let's explore this question not through isolated experiences or quick fixes, but by looking at the larger story of humanity. Let's examine what has truly endured. What has enabled individuals—and entire civilizations—not merely to survive destruction, but to transform it into growth and renewal. There is perhaps no greater case study than the Jewish people. As we approach Tisha B'Av, the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, we remember the destruction of our Holy Temples and centuries of exile, persecution, and loss. The Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and countless others sought to erase us from history. They are gone. We are still here. How? What gave a small, vulnerable people the resilience not only to survive but to continue creating, building, and bringing hope to the world? The answer lies in the profound message of Tisha B'Av itself. The day that commemorates destruction also contains the seed of redemption. The day our hearts were shattered also reveals how brokenness can become the birthplace of our greatest strength. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we uncover one of life's most essential secrets: How do we transform destruction into redemption?

Looking at life as a journey transforms the way you see every experience. It places each moment within the unfolding narrative of your soul—a story told through many chapters, like a film composed of countless frames. Whether your days are filled with joy or burdened by struggle, every experience has its place. Nothing is random. Nothing is wasted. It is all part of the journey. As the Chassidic masters teach, every descent is for the sake of a greater ascent. Even our falls become stepping stones, lifting us to heights we could never have reached otherwise. Now we arrive at the seventh and final installment of our series, The 42 Journeys of Life . This is the end of the wilderness—where the journey finally reveals its purpose. Looking back from birth through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, adulthood, midlife, and the later years, we have explored each stage of life's odyssey. These are not merely the journeys of our ancestors. They are your journeys and mine. The forty-two journeys of the Jewish people from Egypt to the Promised Land are the spiritual map of every human life. And now we come to the conclusion. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we explore the final four journeys—Journeys 39 through 42. While this brings our series to its close, it is not the end of your journey. Quite the contrary. It is the beginning of walking your path with deeper wisdom, greater purpose, and the confidence to embrace wherever life leads you next.

The journey of life now enters its final stages. Life is an odyssey—a sacred journey filled with twists and turns, soaring heights and painful valleys. There are moments of profound joy: births, marriages, graduations, and milestones that fill our hearts with gratitude. And there are moments of loss, disappointment, trauma, and struggle, as we confront the harsh realities of a fractured world. It is a journey through the wilderness. But when we step back and view our lives as a whole, something remarkable happens. The scattered moments become chapters of a single story. We gain a bird's-eye perspective and begin to see that every challenge, every triumph, every detour has been leading us somewhere. Welcome to Part Six of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Life : The Final Wilderness—When Life Strips Away Everything but Truth. Our lives mirror the forty-two journeys of the Jewish people as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land. We, too, leave our personal Mitzrayim —our inner constraints and narrow places—and make our way through life's wilderness toward our own promised land, the place where our deepest purpose is fulfilled. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson on this fascinating, illuminating, and empowering journey.

The journey of life continues. The moment you begin to see your life as a journey, everything changes. What once appeared to be disconnected episodes suddenly becomes a single unfolding narrative—a story with many chapters, filled with ascents and descents, twists and turns, moments of joy and moments of challenge. Nothing is random. Every experience is another step forward. A journey toward your own Promised Land. A journey toward becoming the person you were created to be. This perspective transforms the way you see yourself and your experiences. Instead of being trapped in the urgency of the moment, you begin to see your life in its larger context. Every setback carries a lesson. Every victory carries a purpose. Every stage prepares you for the next. This is the great journey of life. And, as we have been exploring, it unfolds in forty-two distinct stages, reflected in the forty-two journeys the Jewish people traveled through the wilderness. Their journey is our journey. Their map is our map. So now, my friends, we arrive at Part Five of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Your Life : The Harvest Years—Aging, Wisdom, and the Ripening of the Soul. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we continue this remarkable journey together. As we learn to recognize the rhythm of life's changing seasons, we become better equipped to navigate its challenges, appreciate its blessings more deeply, and ultimately embrace the unique opportunities hidden within every stage of the journey.

The 42 Journeys of Life – Part 4: Middle Age The Quiet Question of Midlife: Is This All You Are Meant to Be? How do you reach the Promised Land? Each of us carries dreams, aspirations, goals, and a vision of the life we hope to build. We all seek success, fulfillment, happiness, and purpose. But what is the path that leads us there? Is there a map for navigating life's twists and turns? The Torah's answer is yes. Before the Jewish people entered the Promised Land, they traveled through the wilderness, passing through forty-two distinct journeys. These journeys were not merely historical events; they are the blueprint for every human life. Each of us must travel our own wilderness, facing challenges and setbacks, triumphs and breakthroughs, moments of uncertainty and moments of inspiration. In this fourth installment of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Life , we arrive at the pivotal stage of Middle Age —the season when many begin to hear the quiet but persistent question: "Is this all I am meant to be?" Having traversed the first twenty journeys—the formative years of childhood, the excitement of growth, and the early challenges and struggles that shape our character—we now enter a new chapter. A chapter of reflection, reassessment, and deeper self-discovery. Every stage of life brings its own lessons and opportunities. The key is to recognize where you are on the journey, understand the unique challenges of that stage, and learn how to navigate them with wisdom and purpose. Join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we explore the next phase of the wilderness journey and discover how every step, every challenge, and every transition is part of a greater path—leading us toward our own Promised Land: the fulfillment of our mission and the actualization of our deepest potential.

Life is a journey. The Baal Shem Tov teaches that the 42 journeys of the Jewish people through the wilderness are mirrored in the 42 journeys each of us travels in our own lives. And a wilderness is exactly what life can feel like. We enter a world that is often untamed, unpredictable, and at times even hostile. Our mission is to transform this wilderness into a home for the Divine. But not all stages of the journey are the same. In our early years, we are sheltered. We grow under the protection of parents, family, teachers, and loved ones. Even when challenges arise, we are buffered by the security of home. As we mature, however, we venture further into life's wilderness. The adversaries become more formidable. The tests become more personal. The stakes become higher. The first twelve journeys are closer to civilization, the challenges are easier. But beginning with the thirteenth journey, we enter into more dangerous territory. The Torah describes it as a "great and fearsome desert," a place of snakes, scorpions, and thirst. The travelers are now entering the harsher realities of life. It is no coincidence that at this stage they begin traveling with the Ark and the Sanctuary in their midst. When the terrain becomes more difficult, we need greater spiritual resources. We do not enter life's battles unarmed. We carry with us our deepest values, our faith, our purpose, and the sacred truths that guide us through the darkness. So it is in our own lives. As we grow older and take on greater responsibilities, we need greater strength. The challenges become more demanding, but so do the opportunities to build, create, and transform. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for Part Four of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Life : Will You Build a Home—or Just Live in One? For it is precisely in the wilderness that we discover our power not merely to survive, but to create a sanctuary—a home for ourselves, our loved ones, and the Divine presence in this world.

Life is a journey. In fact, the great mystic the Baal Shem Tov teaches that each of us travels through 42 distinct journeys in the course of our lives. The 42 journeys the Jewish people traversed in the wilderness, as recorded in the Torah, are not merely ancient history; they are a map of the human soul and a mirror of our own life's voyage. Every stage, every twist and turn, every ascent and descent, every triumph and setback is part of a larger choreography. When you begin to see your life not as a series of disconnected events but as a purposeful journey, patterns begin to develop and it starts to make sense. The challenges do not disappear, but your ability to navigate them is transformed. You recognize that every step, every encounter, and every obstacle carries within it an opportunity for growth and discovery. In Part Two of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Life , we continue the expedition. Having explored the first five journeys—the formative years in which our identity begins to take shape—we now enter journeys six through twelve, where we begin to develop the tools to confront adversity and discover our inner strength. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for Part Two: The Forces That Try to Break You Before You Become You —an exploration of the early challenges that test us, shape us, and ultimately reveal who we are meant to become.

In the second year [of the Exodus], on the 20th of the second month, the cloud rose from the Tabernacle of Testimony. The Israelites thus began their travels, [moving on] from the Sinai Desert [until] the cloud came to rest in the Paran Desert. This was the first journey at G-d’s word through Moses (this week’s Torah portion – 10:11-14) Thus began the 13th of the 42 journeys through the wilderness. After the Jewish people camped at Sinai on the first of Sivan 2448, they remained there for close to a year (exactly 10 days less than 12 months), until the 20th of Iyar 2449, when the cloud rose, signifying the time to move on. After the Torah elaborates on the events that transpired from the time the Jews arrived at Sinai on the first of Sivan 2448 (in the chapter Yisro in the book of Exodus), through the building and erection of the Temple on the first of Nissan 2449 (the latter chapters of Exodus), through the entire book of Leviticus and the first two and a half chapters of Numbers, the Torah resumes the story and begins to relate the series of journeys traveled by the Jewish people in the wilderness. The rising of the cloud in this week’s portion is essentially continuing the story where it was left off at the end of Exodus, when the cloud first descended on the Tabernacle. As we now begin to read the story of the long and tedious journey, we bring you the first installment of a new series from Rabbi Jacobson, that outlines the psycho-spiritual 42 journeys that each of us go through in our own lives.

Jack, Charles, and Henry — three successful business colleagues — go out on a rowing trip. One is a financier, another a high-tech executive, and the third a prominent attorney. As they row across the water, Jack suddenly falls out of the boat. Charles and Henry panic. They stretch out their hands and cry, “Jack, give me your hand! Give me your hand!” But Jack doesn’t respond. Then Charles changes his words. “Take my hand!” Immediately Jack grabs hold, and they pull him to safety. Henry turns to Charles, puzzled. Charles smiles and says, “You have to understand — Jack doesn’t know how to give. He only knows how to take.” And that raises a profound question for each of us: Are we takers, or are we givers? It’s not an easy question. We live in a world driven by survival, competition, and self-interest. We are conditioned to believe that the more we take, the more secure and successful we become. But perhaps the opposite is true. Perhaps the tragedy of being a taker is not only what it does to others — but what it does to us. Because when you only take, you never truly discover who you are. Giving is not weakness. Giving is the ultimate expression of strength. It is the way we actualize our deepest potential. A giver is not defined by what they lack, but by what they possess within — the ability to contribute, to nurture, to illuminate, to transform. The more you give, the more you become. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in this vital discussion and discover: How do we move from being consumers of life to creators of life? From takers to givers? And that makes all the difference. That change of attitude and direction -- from the inside out, instead of the outside in -- changes everything.

Do you believe in love that lasts forever? It’s a beautiful idea—the language of films and novels. We all long to find that one person we can love endlessly. But is that truth, or is it just a dream? After all, everything in this physical world changes. It ages, it fades, it comes and goes. So what makes love different? Why would love be the exception? This is not just a philosophical question—it shapes everything. The choices we make, the commitments we’re willing to fight for. If everything is temporary, how deeply do we invest? Why give ourselves fully to something that won’t last? And yet, we can’t let go of the idea. Something in us insists that love can be eternal. So is it real—or is it illusion? The answer depends on one thing: what do you mean by love?

In trying to take the pulse of our times, one senses a deep tension in the air — both personally and globally. It’s a strange paradox. On one hand, humanity is experiencing unprecedented prosperity, technological breakthroughs, breathtaking advances in AI, longer life expectancy, and medical miracles once unimaginable. Each day seems to unveil another revelation. And yet, beneath it all hangs a cloud of uncertainty. Perhaps it became most acute during COVID in 2020, but the tremors began even earlier — rapid technological change, political upheaval, social disruption, a world shifting beneath our feet. We are living through an age defined by one word: disruption. And disruption unsettles the human spirit. Because human beings long for stability. We want to know where we stand. We seek coordinates, direction, predictability. When so much feels unknown, anxiety quietly settles beneath the surface: What will tomorrow bring? What kind of world are we handing to our children? And so the question becomes: How do we navigate in such times? How do we remain balanced and grounded when the world around us feels increasingly unstable? This is not merely a personal struggle. It affects our families, our communities, and the global human family. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson in exploring timeless wisdom and immortal tools that have guided human beings through uncertainty, upheaval, and crisis for generations. Discover the method to living with strength in unstable times.

Two boys grow up as best friends. They share their childhood, their classrooms, their dreams. The bond carries them through their teens, their young adult years, even into their thirties. Then something happens. A disagreement. A rupture. And they stop speaking. Years pass. Decades. They grow old and, by some twist of fate, find themselves in the same nursing home—still silent, still distant. Their children plead with them: “You were once inseparable. You don’t have many years left. Why not reconcile?” One of them responds, “If I speak to him, he’ll think he was right.” They ask, “What did you fight about?” Neither of them remembers.

Oil plays a pivotal role in today’s battles in the Persian Gulf—between the United States, Israel, and Iran. It is not merely a resource; it is the lifeblood of the modern world. Whoever controls its flow, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, touches every corner of the globe. It fuels economies, and in many ways, it fuels this very conflict. But the story does not end there. As we explored last week, the deeper dimension—the Kabbalah of Oil —reveals that beneath the visible battles lies a hidden one. A spiritual struggle, ancient and ongoing, that oil itself comes to embody. What appears as geopolitics is, at its core, a contest over deeper forces shaping our world. The story begins with Abraham and his children, Yishmael, Isaac, Esau and Jacob -- who were all born and bred in this Middle East region. It should therefore not come as a surprise that a disproportionate concentration of oil is hidden under the ground of this region -- reflecting the vast potential contained therein. The response to last week's discussion was powerful, and it calls for us to go further. In this second part of The Kabbalah of Oil , we will dig deeper into the spiritual root of oil; why it is so concentrated in that region, how it has shaped history for thousands of years, and what it means for us today, both globally and personally. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson as we uncover not only the power beneath the earth, but the power within ourselves—the inner resources waiting to be unleashed. Because to understand this battle is to begin to understand how it can be transformed. And ultimately, how true and lasting peace can emerge—for that region, and for our world.

With headlines dominated by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow gateway through which so much of the world’s oil and natural gas flows—we are inundated with analysis: What will the United States do? What will Iran do? What will Israel, Europe, the global powers decide? The noise of daily events is relentless. But in all this, we risk losing sight of the deeper question, the most important question of all: Why? Why is it that the Middle East—just a sliver of the earth’s surface, roughly 3.4% of the global landmass—contains close to 60% of the world’s known oil reserves and over 40% of its natural gas? Is this merely coincidence? Or is there something deeper at play in a region that has stood at the crossroads of history, conflict, and destiny for thousands of years? Consider what oil truly represents. It is not just a commodity, it is the lifeblood of modern civilization. It fuels our transportation, powers our homes and industries, sustains agriculture, and shapes the very infrastructure of our lives. The world quite literally runs on it. And then consider this: in 1908, one of the first major oil discoveries in the region was made in southwestern Persia, in a place called Masjed Soleyman—named for King Solomon, and tied to a region steeped in profound spiritual history. You’ll be surprised to learn how the breaking news was delivered about this discovery of oil, through a coded message from the book of… Psalms! Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this vital discussion as we ask the important questions: Is it all coincidence? Or is there a deeper design, an intersection of the material and the spiritual, the physical resource and its inner meaning? When we step back and look beyond the headlines, when we uncover the secrets hidden in oil, we begin to uncover a broader, more profound picture—one that sheds light on the cosmic, historical, and spiritual forces shaping our world today.