Teshuvah and Criminal Justice

What do Jewish sources say about starting anew after breaking the law, and how can that inform our understanding of modern-day criminal justice? 

In this course, we’ll do a deep dive into teshuvah (repentance) and the rehabilitation process after one has committed various types of offenses. We will ask whether it is ever too late to turn over a new leaf, and what the consequences should be for a communal leader who speaks or acts inappropriately.

Rooting ourselves in Jewish texts, we will explore complex real-life cases together. In doing so, we will see firsthand how approaching these moral questions through a lens of Jewish tradition can offer unique insights.