What is Mussar
Mussar is the study of one's inner middot (soul traits). It is the Jewish spiritual practice to work on character development through the lens of traditional Jewish text and sources, as reflected through various middot/ soul traits such as patience (savlanut) or (trust) bitachon.
Watch/read Rabbi Kravitz's D'var Torah Lech Lecha: Abraham's Journey through the lens of Mussar.
Questions? Email [email protected]
Watch/read Rabbi Kravitz's D'var Torah Lech Lecha: Abraham's Journey through the lens of Mussar.
Questions? Email [email protected]
Mussar classes begin in the fall - check back for details
Past Mussar Classeseck
Introduction to Mussar
This class examines a variety of ways a Mussar practice can function in our lives. Explore a spiritual path of contemplative exercises and text study to help create personal transformations and deepen your connection with yourself, your community, and God. Classes include instructor-led sessions approximately every other week. During the “off-weeks” students will have assigned readings and will be expected to meet with their study partners to discuss the assigned readings. Study partners, or chevruta, are assigned by the teachers with input from the students.
This class examines a variety of ways a Mussar practice can function in our lives. Explore a spiritual path of contemplative exercises and text study to help create personal transformations and deepen your connection with yourself, your community, and God. Classes include instructor-led sessions approximately every other week. During the “off-weeks” students will have assigned readings and will be expected to meet with their study partners to discuss the assigned readings. Study partners, or chevruta, are assigned by the teachers with input from the students.
Mussar Va'ad: Kibbush Class
This Mussar Va’ad continues its study of the 18 Middot of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lefin and the Kibbush protocol introduced last year. Upon completion of the 18 Middot, the class will turn to the learning the Tikkun middot in the book In Search of the Holy Life by Rabbi Ira Stone and Dr. Beulah Trey.
This Mussar Va’ad continues its study of the 18 Middot of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lefin and the Kibbush protocol introduced last year. Upon completion of the 18 Middot, the class will turn to the learning the Tikkun middot in the book In Search of the Holy Life by Rabbi Ira Stone and Dr. Beulah Trey.
Mussar Va'ad: Tikkun Class
This Va'ad continues its study of the 18 Middot of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lefin and the Tikkun middot introduced in In Search of the Holy Life. The focus of the course this year is the text Pirkei Avot Lev Shalem, with commentary by Rabbi Gordon Tucker and Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum.
This Va'ad continues its study of the 18 Middot of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lefin and the Tikkun middot introduced in In Search of the Holy Life. The focus of the course this year is the text Pirkei Avot Lev Shalem, with commentary by Rabbi Gordon Tucker and Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum.
Modern Mussar
The class uses the book, Modern Mussar: Contested Virtues in Jewish Thought by Geoffrey Claussen.
The class uses the book, Modern Mussar: Contested Virtues in Jewish Thought by Geoffrey Claussen.
Ethical Text Tomer Devora
This class uses the book Tomer D’vorah. This is an advanced class for people who have already studied Mussar.
This class uses the book Tomer D’vorah. This is an advanced class for people who have already studied Mussar.
Teacher Bios
Ofer Geller
Ofer has been a student of Mussar at Adath Jeshurun since 2019 and continues to explore this path of spiritual growth in Judaism at Adath and through classes taught by The Mussar Institute. “I have found the practice of Mussar to be a profound personal awakening, transformative and meaningful experience. I am very excited to share what I have learned as we study and find new, unique personal connections with ancient texts."
Rabbi Harold Kravitz
Rabbi Kravitz is Rabbi Emeritus at Adath, where he has served since 1987 after he was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary. From 1996-2023, he held the Max Newman Family Chair in Rabbinics at Adath. He currently serves as President of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the over 1600 member global professional association of the Conservative/Masorti Movement. He served on the RA's Va’ad Hakavod (Professional Ethics Committee) for 18 years and chaired it for six years. He is Past Board Chair of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and currently serves on the Rabbinic Advisory Committee of the Center for Contemporary Mussar.
Hope Melton
Hope is an experienced Mussar facilitator with over 30 years of teaching experience including high school history and social studies, English and Swedish for Immigrants with the Swedish Civil Service Adult Education Institute, and as adjunct faculty at St. Catherine and St. Thomas Universities. Hope completed an MA in American History from Northwestern University and a Masters in City & Regional Planning (MCRP), with a concentration in social policy, from Rutgers University. Hope created Edina Neighbors for Affordable Housing and has led this effort in Edina for the past five years. As a result of three years of study with CCM, Hope’s Mussar teaching is dedicated to caring for the other—at the individual, community, and societal levels. Her goal is to promote a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable society based on Mussar study (Jewish ethical values), sacred teachings, and practices.
Barbara Rubin Greenberg
Barbara is a CCM-certified Madrichah, who was introduced to CCM when Rabbi Ira Stone spoke at Adath. Barbara has studied Mussar for seven years and continues to study with Mussar teachers. Barbara is a certified leadership coach with certifications in emotional intelligence and personality type (MBTI). Barbara has found Mussar to be inspirational and an incredibly effective practice to develop oneself and grow through a Jewish framework. She is committed and passionate about caring for others and helping them grow through Mussar Practice. We live in relationship all the time and Mussar helps us develop ourselves and create healthier relationships that reflect care of self and our nearest others.
Heidi Schneider
Heidi is a CCM-certified Madrichah, who was introduced to CCM when Rabbi Ira Stone conducted a Shabbaton at Adath. Heidi has studied with CCM for over five years, and she serves on the CCM board of directors. Heidi teaches Mussar classes to adults and teens at Adath Jeshurun and Tifereth Israel in Des Moines, Iowa. She keeps the passuk for the middah of Bitachon on a post-it note on her desk to remind her that worry is an opportunity to seek out the other and reconnect in serenity.
Ofer has been a student of Mussar at Adath Jeshurun since 2019 and continues to explore this path of spiritual growth in Judaism at Adath and through classes taught by The Mussar Institute. “I have found the practice of Mussar to be a profound personal awakening, transformative and meaningful experience. I am very excited to share what I have learned as we study and find new, unique personal connections with ancient texts."
Rabbi Harold Kravitz
Rabbi Kravitz is Rabbi Emeritus at Adath, where he has served since 1987 after he was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary. From 1996-2023, he held the Max Newman Family Chair in Rabbinics at Adath. He currently serves as President of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), the over 1600 member global professional association of the Conservative/Masorti Movement. He served on the RA's Va’ad Hakavod (Professional Ethics Committee) for 18 years and chaired it for six years. He is Past Board Chair of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and currently serves on the Rabbinic Advisory Committee of the Center for Contemporary Mussar.
Hope Melton
Hope is an experienced Mussar facilitator with over 30 years of teaching experience including high school history and social studies, English and Swedish for Immigrants with the Swedish Civil Service Adult Education Institute, and as adjunct faculty at St. Catherine and St. Thomas Universities. Hope completed an MA in American History from Northwestern University and a Masters in City & Regional Planning (MCRP), with a concentration in social policy, from Rutgers University. Hope created Edina Neighbors for Affordable Housing and has led this effort in Edina for the past five years. As a result of three years of study with CCM, Hope’s Mussar teaching is dedicated to caring for the other—at the individual, community, and societal levels. Her goal is to promote a more equitable, peaceful, and sustainable society based on Mussar study (Jewish ethical values), sacred teachings, and practices.
Barbara Rubin Greenberg
Barbara is a CCM-certified Madrichah, who was introduced to CCM when Rabbi Ira Stone spoke at Adath. Barbara has studied Mussar for seven years and continues to study with Mussar teachers. Barbara is a certified leadership coach with certifications in emotional intelligence and personality type (MBTI). Barbara has found Mussar to be inspirational and an incredibly effective practice to develop oneself and grow through a Jewish framework. She is committed and passionate about caring for others and helping them grow through Mussar Practice. We live in relationship all the time and Mussar helps us develop ourselves and create healthier relationships that reflect care of self and our nearest others.
Heidi Schneider
Heidi is a CCM-certified Madrichah, who was introduced to CCM when Rabbi Ira Stone conducted a Shabbaton at Adath. Heidi has studied with CCM for over five years, and she serves on the CCM board of directors. Heidi teaches Mussar classes to adults and teens at Adath Jeshurun and Tifereth Israel in Des Moines, Iowa. She keeps the passuk for the middah of Bitachon on a post-it note on her desk to remind her that worry is an opportunity to seek out the other and reconnect in serenity.
Mussar for Teens
Do you know teens interested in studying Mussar? Click here to learn more.