8-week course begins: Tuesday, April 1 12:30 – 2 pm, Sandler Family Campus
What happens after death? It’s a question as old as humanity. For Jews, the answer has never been a singular, fixed doctrine. Instead, Jewish thought has evolved over millennia, offering a fascinating tapestry of perspectives on what lies beyond this life.
Rabbi Michael Panitz will lead an eight-week course, Undiscovered Country: Jewish Views on the Afterlife, hosted by Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. This series will guide participants through the many interpretations of the afterlife found in Jewish tradition.
Jewish views on the afterlife have never been monolithic. Beginning with biblical texts that are often ambiguous about what comes after death, the conversation expanded during the Hellenistic period as Jewish thinkers engaged with Greek philosophy. Rabbinic literature further developed these ideas, introducing concepts like the resurrection of the dead and the World to Come. The medieval era saw new mystical interpretations, particularly through Kabbalah, which introduced ideas such as reincarnation and spiritual ascent. In modern times, philosophical and scientific developments have led to further reinterpretations, making the question of the afterlife as compelling as ever.
Rabbi Panitz’s course will explore all these perspectives. With a background in both Jewish history and rabbinic studies, Rabbi Panitz will guide this exploration, weaving together scriptural analysis, theological debate, and historical context.
Cost: $60 for Simon Family JCC members; $72 for non-members. Scholarships available.
For more information about this course or other opportunities to learn with the Konikoff Center for Learning, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman, senior director of UJFT’s Jewish Innovation, at SLautman@UJFT.org.