Nochum Mangel

Each class tackles another hot-button issue of public policy from the perspective of traditional Torah sources.

Throughout our history, we Jews have known the need to immigrate. What is the right and just perspective on immigration?

Is a campaign contribution considered bribery? Is it ethical for lobbyists to financially back a candidate?

Who is responsible to pay for health care? Is health insurance a personal obligation or a community responsibility?

The issue is the individual’s responsibility to care for the body with which G‑d entrusted him, and not to be a burden to his community.

How can we most fairly apportion the communal burden? Who should pay, and how much? And who decides where this money should go?

Modern governments use their authority to tax their constituents and pay for public works and social services. How did Jewish communities understand their roles in furthering the welfare of the people? What is the Torah view on how a society can express c...

Is wealth a mark of sin, a sign that a person has greedily taken too much and necessarily impoverished others? Is poverty a sign of laziness, an outer indication of a poor character? We explore the Jewish view on why there is inequality in wealth, and wha...

Taxation, immigration, health care. What is the Jewish perspective on the hot button issues of today? Drawing on sources from the Torah, this course examines hotly debated contemporary political issues from an authentic Jewish perspective.

When approaching a topic as sensitive as immigration, it is important to keep in mind that policies cannot be based solely on emotion. There must be some criteria by which we can confidently evaluate positions and give a thoughtful, critical response. The...