Is it selfish to be spiritual? Shouldn’t we make our highest priority taking care of the well-being of others and the world? Or is it possible to practice unselfish spirituality? Teachings from the Jewish tradition of Mussar help us understand how our inner lives intersect with the world we live in, and what is our true highest priority.

Dr. Alan Morinis is the Dean and Founder of The Mussar Institute. For the past 20 years, Mussar has been his passion, and he is now a leading interpreter of its teachings and practices. Born and raised in a culturally Jewish but non-observant home, he studied anthropology at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, earning his doctorate at that university. Alan has written books and produced feature films, television dramas and documentaries; he has taught at several universities and now regularly gives lectures and workshops in Mussar thought and practice. His journey to discovering the Mussar teachings is recorded in the book Climbing Jacob’s Ladder (2002). His other books include his guide to Mussar practice, Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar (2007); his Mussar handbook Every Day, Holy Day (2010), and his latest, With Heart in Mind (2014).