Education by Rabbi YY Jacobson

A lecture by Rabbi YY Jacobson presented at an Amudim Awareness Event in Forest Hill, Queens, NY, on March 4, 2017. This event was held in response to many recent cases of overdose and suicide in the Jewish community. This is a sharp speech about confronting the crisis of youths losing their lives to addiction and despair, and the layers of deceptions and lies that allow the crisis to fester.

This keynote address was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson at the Torah Umesorah 9th Annual Presidents Conference, Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach, 17 Kislev 5777, December 17, 2016, at the Turnberry Isle Miami Hotel, in Aventure, Florida.

Women's Toldos 5777 Class: This class was presented to women on Tuesday Parshas Toldos, Nov. 29, 2016, at Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.In this class, Rabbi YY Jacobson answers the big question, how can we call Eisav a Rasha if his fate was predetermined in the womb of his mother? As it turns, out Judaism creates special space for struggle, and so should we. What G-d wants from you is not what He wants from me.Children should ever be compared to each other.

Likkutei Torah Ki Tezei Maamar Ki Siyenoh Le'ish #1.How We Operate On Two Levels of Consciousness: an animal consciousness and a Divine consciousness. The struggle between them and how we must deal with it and discover harmony in our psyche. The ultimate solution is not obliteration but enlightenment and education. This class was delivered during the week of Pinchas 5776, July 2016, in Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY.

This class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson, Sunday morning, on the postponed fast-day of 17-18 Tamuz 5766, July 24, 2016, in Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, New York.

This Yiddish/English address was presented, Sunday, March 6, 2016, 26 Adar I 5776, at the dinner for Yaldei in Montreal.

Likkutei Sichos Beshalach: This text-based class on Likkutei Sichos vol. 21 Parshas Beshalach,explores an enigmatic commentary by Rashi on why Moshe's hands became heavy, and the powerful lesson for our days, on how to deal with Jews who "fell out of the system."

This text-based class on Likkutei Sichos vol. 10 Vayeitzei (said by the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Shabbos Vayeitzei, 9 Kislev, 5732, 1971), explores the strange fact that while Leah gives one reason for naming her oldest son Reuben, the Talmud and Rashi offer a completely different interpretation for the name. Leah names him Reuben (which means seeing), because G-d saw my pain; now my husband will love me. But how could she be sure about that?

This speech was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson at the Melavah Malkah of "Machazikim," for supporters of the Skver Cheder in Monsey, on Motzaei Shabbos Chayei Sarah 25 Cheshvan 5776, November 7, 2015. The address explains why we derive the laws of marriage from the story of Sarah's burial. It goes on to explore three features of an extraordinary Jewish school: 1. True love and acceptance. 2. Embracing every child in all of his or her complexities. 3. Great joy and passion in living a Jewish life.

This speech was presented on Sunday, November 1, 2015 (19 Cheshvan 5776), at the dinner celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy, in New Haven, Conn., under the leadership of Rabbi Sheye Hecht. The lecture highlights the extraordinary story of this Jewish day school, founded by Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Hecht in 1945.