The Torah commands us that every seven years at the end of the Shemitah (Sabbatical) year, all loans must be absolved and the creditor is forbidden from collecting those loans.

More than a thousand years later, the sage Hillel found a legal loophole called Pruzbul to allow creditors to collect their loan after the Shemitah year had passed.

What is the Pruzbul and how does it work? What is the point of a commandment if we have a loophole to get around it? Is G-d happy when we find loopholes to avoid his commandments? Even if it's legal, is it in the spirit of the Torah?

A class about the 'Absolving of Loans' and the Pruzbul loophole.

Why does G-d allow for good people to suffer? Is he able to stop suffering? Do people who suffer deserve what is happening to them?

One of the most curious rules of the Torah is the Yibum and Chalitzah. When a married man dies without children, the widow must either marry his brother in through the Yibum process or perform a Chalitzah ceremony with the brother.

A fascinating discussion about these unusual commandments.

Sir Moses Montefiore was probably the most prominent and most impactful Jew in the 19th Century. His legacy lives on in the hundreds of synagogues, schools, Jewish hospitals, nursing homes and cemeteries and other Jewish organizations that bear his name more than a hundred years after his death.

Who was Sir Moses Montefiore? What was his impact? Why was he so venerated by Jews around the world?

Prayer is central to Judaism. We pray 3 times a day with special prayers for special occasions and lots of other prayers to be said at various times. Does G-d really need our prayers? Doesn't he know what we want without us telling him? Can't he just give us everything we need to start with? What is the purpose of prayer?

A fascinating discussion about the deeper meaning of prayer in Judaism.

One of the great tragedies to befall our people is the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. It marked the end of over 1,000 years of the Jewish community there and the beginning of many trials and challenges for the exiles.

We believe that we all have an obligation to not only do good ourselves but also to ensure that others do good. We are expected to make a positive impact on those around us. How can we effectively influence people?

Learn about the Torah's teachings on how to effectively influence people.

Our people first entered the land of Israel over 3,300 years ago. Yet over the years they were expelled or persecuted and forced to leave. As long as we have been away from the Land of Israel, our people have always yearned and attempted to return.

The current Yishuv - Jewish settlement can be traced to a number of major Aliyot - Group Immigrations over the past 500 years.

A fascinating discussion about the movement to settle the Land of Israel

The Kotel, the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is the holiest place Jews are allowed to go to today. People come from around the world to the plaza in front of the Kotel to pray and talk to G-d.

Learn about the history of the Kotel and what it means for Jews today.