What if the rhythms of Jewish life—rituals, debates, study, and communal practices—weren’t only about faith, but also about survival? This class uncovers how traditions developed over centuries as spiritual practices also became ingenious resilience strategies, long before science gave them a name. From the shift from Temple service to text study, to trade networks that connected far-flung communities, to the Talmud’s embrace of argument as a path to adaptive thinking—Jewish life offers a playbook for weathering disruption and thriving across centuries. Together we’ll explore vivid historical examples, connect them to our own experiences, and ask: what can ancient wisdom teach us about resilience in our own communities and organizations today?

Rabbi Dr. Daniel Aldrich received his Semichas (ordinations) from Rav Dan Channen and from Rav Aharon Schenkolweski in Jerusalem, and he is an alumnus of the Darche Noam Yeshiva of Jerusalem. He received his PhD and MA from Harvard University, his MA from UC Berkeley, and his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Rabbi Aldrich is rabbi at the KTM synagogue in Brighton and previously was rabbi of Torah v'Chesed and Purdue Hillel in Indiana, Am HaTorah in MD, and the interim rabbi in Adelaide, Australia. Aldrich, Dean's Professor of Resilience at Northeastern University, has published 5 books, more than 115 peer reviewed articles, and had his work mentioned by the New York Times, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, among other outlets. His work in Jewish outreach resulted in his nomination as a Jewish Community Hero. His wife, Yael, is the Executive Director of the Daughters of Israel Mikvah and they have four children.