Living a Meaningful Life
The PAS Lecture Series 5774
“What does the Lord require of you?” (Micah 6:8)
As far back as the Bible, our people has tried to define what constitutes “a meaningful life.” As human beings we long for significance – a longing that can also be fraught with excessive ambition, moral compromise, and preoccupation with status. Given the frailties inherent in being human, how can we be worthy of our highest ideals and God-given potential?
This series addressed questions sitting at the core of the human condition. What does our tradition say about living a meaningful life? How do we live ethical lives in a morally complicated world? What does it mean to age with dignity? How can we support each other when our loved ones stumble or pick ourselves up when we do? How can we learn to laugh at the same things that make us cry? Is happiness a Jewish value? What does our tradition say about death and dying?
The Park Avenue Synagogue Lecture Series engages top scholars and notable intellectuals to address the major challenges facing American Jewry and to generate transformative thinking towards the continued revitalization of the Jewish community. Made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
Audio Recordings of PAS Lecture Series:
How to be a Good Person in a Morally Complicated World with Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
Making Each Day Count: A Jewish Approach to Growing Older with Wisdom with Rabbi Rachel Cowan
Laughter: Is it Really What the Doctor Ordered? with Dr. Ruth Wisse
Pursuit of Happiness or Retreat from Happiness? with Dr. Abraham Twerski
Happier Endings: Is there a Better Way to Die? with Dr. Erica Brown
Discovering Joy After Heartbreak: Lessons from a Life of Faith with Rabbi Charles Sherman and Rabbi Erez Sherman